CHEMOTHERAPY cancer treatment

chemotherapy treatment cure for breast cancer

2009-05-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

With 42 000 new cases per year, breast cancer is increasingly common. At the same time, the therapy is progressing and can maintain the anatomical women. Always a leader in this field for 60 years, the Institut Curie advance a new weapon to limit the uptake of the removal of the breast.

Breast cancer affects mostly young and active (half are under 61 years at diagnosis). For several years, advances in surgery have enabled the development of conservative treatment. Latest innovation, the taxanes used to limit the uptake of the removal of the breast.

Chemotherapy response to breast cancer
Faced with breast cancer, the treatment of choice is surgery. Based on early diagnosis, intervention may be limited to removal of the tumor while preserving the maximum mamma. This is referred to as lumpectomy. Today, advances in surgery can prevent most often use the complete removal of the breast (also called mammectomie). However, this operation is sometimes necessary to face large tumors, multiple tumors in one breast, scattered tumor cells or in case of recurrence after conservative treatment.

Allows radiation to destroy cancer cells remaining after surgery and reduce the risk of relapse. Chemotherapy may be used according to the same information (adjuvant chemotherapy). But they also placed before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor and allow a conservative (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy). Currently, the benchmark treatment in this indication is for breast cancer a combination of two molecules: doxorubicin / cyclophosphamide.

More breast conservation
Taxanes are molecules extracted from the yew, or bark (Taxol ®) or needle (Taxotere ®). These molecules are able to stop cell division, a property particularly attractive deal with cancer cells that have the particularity to grow in an anarchic way. Currently, they are used in advanced stages of breast cancer (metastatic breast carcinoma) and lung cancer. Taxol ® is also used to treat metastatic ovarian cancer.

But Dr Véronique Diéras, head of the Clinical Investigation Unit of the Institut Curie, wanted to study the effectiveness of Taxol ® (in combination with doxorubicin) compared to the combination of reference among 200 patients who can not receive conservative treatment. The results argue in favor of this new treatment. Paclitaxel administered before surgery (in combination with doxorubicin), reduces tumor size in 89% of patients against 70% with the combination of reference and allows a conservative treatment in 58% of patients against 45% . Finally, after an average follow-up of 31 months, the rate of disease-free survival was higher in the group treated with Taxol ® (91% against 70%)

To new indications for taxanes?

According to researchers, "this molecule, so far used in advanced stages of the disease, could in future be administered before surgery to reduce tumor size and increase the number of patients eligible for treatment Conservative. " Further studies will certainly confirm this benefit

How does Chemotherapy treatment chemo works?

2009-03-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Chemotherapy treatment (chemotherapy)
Chemotherapy treatment is a treatment for cancer patients that involve medication by mouth or injections. Treatment may provide better prospects of healing at some cancers than both surgery and radiation.

How does Chemotherapy works
Preparations referred to as Chemotherapy toxic effect that they interfere with normal cell functions. Some of the first forms of Chemotherapy which was adopted, and that still applied, are substances that damage DNA structure, including cyclofosfamid and melfalan. These are drugs that were originally developed in terms of biological warfare. Other preparations - which metotrexat, 5-Fluorouracil and doxorubicin works in that it blocks the normal metabolic paths in cancer cells.

Certain preparations containing the metal platinum, which in certain forms can get DNA to perish. There are also a number of preparations that contain plant extracts that have similar effects on DNA, or that gets the inner structure of the cells to break down. Examples which contains extracts from taxol extracted from the bark of the yew.

Cancers that are treated with Chemotherapy
The cancer types that respond best for cellegift are those caused by the fast-growing tumors. This is because the fast-growing cells take up the poison of the far greater extent than healthy cells, so that limits the side effects. Among the cancer types that are developing quickly find leukemia and Hodgkins disease, and different cancers that strike children.

Chemotherapy manager may also have an important effect on tumors that are not of the most rapidly growing battle, including breast tumors, ovary tumors, bladder tumors and tumors in the head and neck region.

Today Chemotherapy forms of treatment have little effect on some cancers, including pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, bowel cancer and stomach.

Whether giveing some drugs will benefit Chemotherapy treatment depends to a large extent by how the cancer cells in tumors appears under a microscope, the patient's age and general, and whether the liver and kidneys of his / her is able to poison the cell separator.

How does Chemotherapy treatment takes place
Cell poison usually given intravenously. Ie. that it led directly into the veins, so that one avoids the patient throws up the medicine. A typical course consists of treatments every third or fourth week. The goal is that the tumors are destroyed as far as possible, simultaneously with the charges for the patient not be larger than necessary. It was discovered that cellegift treatment is most effective when several types of medicines are given simultaneously in a combination - this despite the fact that the mixing of medicines increases the risk of side effects. There are several standard combinations that each one is tailored to specific forms of cancer.

Side effects of chemotherapy
Treatment suggests that the patient must expect to have side effects, but in a far lesser extent than was the case for only a few decades ago. Nausea that often accompanies cellegift, can be treated with a pesticide that ondansetron. This means that cellegift treatment in our day pretty much done outpatient.

It is a known issue that many people lose their hair in connection with Chemotherapy treatment. However, there are some medication combinations that do not lead to Hair Loss, even if the side effect for many patients share is not to avoid. However, the hair grows out again after the treatment.

From a purely medical standpoint, is the most serious side effect associated with cellegift treatment at benmargen can suffer damage. This leads to the infection risk and the risk of anemia and bleeding. To deal with these problems are given the medication, which in turn can cause liver and kidney damage. Patients who receive cellegift treatment should be monitored closely with regular blood samples to check whether the treatment provides this type of side effects, if the dosage is appropriate, and whether the patient could benefit from a more intensive treatment in hospital.

Combination of cancer Treatments by using Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy Treatment often included in a package that consists of several forms of cancer. By example. both breast cancer and bowel cancer removed the observable tumors surgical, while using the radiation will deal with a disease that does not appear during the operation. Finally, you use Chemotherapy to squash metastases (spread).

The future of Chemotherapy

Experts believe that the future Chemotherapy treatment will be far more specific than it is today. This means that the cell poison much more will be directed against cancer cells, and to a lesser extent, be toxic for the rest of the body. Such an effect can be achieve by binding to the poison cell antibodies against cancer cells. Another option is the new forms of Chemotherapy that works directly on the cancer cell growth.

Which patients may be indicated HIPEC?

2009-02-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

colon cancer (large intestine cancer)

The doctor will carefully assess each patient if a HIPEC is indicated or not. This evaluation is done both before and during the operation.

1. before surgery

-age: the patient can not be too old. An age below 70 year is a criterion. Younger the patient is, the greater the tolerance for intervention. Patients who have a little more than 70 years with peritoneal cancer and a limited excellent condition can always be taken into account.

motivation: the patient must be prepared to 'fight' in order to support the intervention, which is heavy.

-chemotherapy options: it must persist opportunities to administer chemotherapy after surgery. If peritoneal cancer has become resistant to all forms of chemotherapy, a HIPEC is not a good choice.

-good general condition, absence of occlusion, absence of ascites. In patients who are not fit enough, which are or have occlusion of ascites, a HIPEC does not work and the risk of complications is significantly higher. Note that these criteria are valid for HIPEC in peritoneal cancer by colon cancer.

absence of seeding to the liver or lungs. In these cases, it is unlikely that HIPEC is better than conventional chemotherapy infusion.

2. during the operation

-extension (Sugarbaker score)

-remove any possibility of

-seeding to the liver

When the score to extend Sugarbaker is above 20, when all visible tumor can not be removed, or in case of seeding to the liver, there is very little chance of achieving a HIPEC offer a better survival the patient and the intervention will not be continued (see above).

ovarian cancer

The doctor will carefully assess each patient if a HIPEC is indicated or not. This evaluation is done both before and during the operation.

1. before surgery

-age: the patient can not be too old. An age below 70 years is a criterion. Younger the patient is, the greater the tolerance for intervention. Patients who have a little more than 70 years with peritoneal cancer and a limited excellent condition can always be taken into account.

-good condition

motivation: the patient must be prepared to 'fight' in order to support the intervention, which is heavy.

-chemotherapy options: it must persist opportunities to administer chemotherapy after surgery. If peritoneal cancer has become resistant to all forms of chemotherapy, a HIPEC is not a good choice.

absence of seeding to the liver or lungs. In these cases, it is unlikely that HIPEC is better than conventional chemotherapy infusion.

2. during the operation

-possibility to remove most of the tumor after surgery, it can not remain as homes below 1 cm

-seeding to the liver

When all visible tumor larger than 1 cm can not be removed, or in case of seeding to the liver, there is very little chance of achieving a HIPEC offers better patient survival, and response will not be continued (see above).

Other tumors

For other rare forms of peritoneal cancer, there are similar criteria.

Final consideration

All information on this page is intended to provide basic information to patients with cancer of the peritoneum. In this way, the patient can prepare questions he wants to ask the surgeon, or read the text at home after the consultation. However, the disease of each patient is unique and the medical and surgical treatment of peritoneal cancer is evolving rapidly. That is why the explanation that your doctor gives you or treatments they are offering may be slightly different from this introduction. Do not be mislead. The explanations from your doctor always prevail on the explanations contained in this document.

What are the complications? after HIPEC?

2009-02-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

After a HIPEC treatment for peritoneal cancer, there may be complications in about 30% of interventions.

And after each surgery, complications such as infection or bleeding may occur.

Some complications are more specific to the HIPEC, including:

-a higher risk of dropping the sutures between the intestines because of the heated chemotherapy. In case of high risk, the doctor may consider it more secure to create a stoma (out part of the intestine) temporarily.

-liquid in the thoracic cavity (the space between the lungs and chest cavity), especially in cases of tumor resection on the diaphragm. In these cases, the surgeon will place a preventive pipes in the chest cavity to suck any liquid for a few days.

-delayed evacuation of the stomach for about two weeks (see above).

Complications of chemotherapy are very rare.

What are the side effects of HIPEC Treatment?

2009-02-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

A HIPEC is a rather cumbersome task requiring considerable energy to the body and mind. Many patients feel tired enough for three months. The appetite may be low for some time and there may occur episodes of low morale. A good motivation beforehand, correct information and good support from family, the surgeon, general practitioner, the dietitian and physiotherapist are of great importance. After three months, the quality of life is at the level before the operation.

How long must I stay on hospital after HIPEC treatment?

2009-02-02T09:18:00.000-08:00

During hospitalization and after returning home, the patient receives for a few weeks of physiotherapy which will have a positive effect on the general rehabilitation after heavy intervention on peritoneal cancer treatment.

The patient is reviewed regularly in consultation with the surgeon after convalescence, which adapt progressively the system, which will provide the best possible answers to many questions, and to support the patient psychologically.

Once the patient has recovered sufficiently in the physical and psychological, as a rule complementary chemotherapy by intravenous infusion is given for 6 months.

Have regular check (taking blood, scanner) are programmed.

Why rinse the belly cavity with heated chemotherapy?

2009-02-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Rinsing of the belly cavity with heated chemotherapy is designed to kill peritoneal cancer tumor homes that are invisible to the naked eye and are left behind after resection of the tumor. Chemotherapy poured into the cavity of the stomach, enters very little in the rest of the body and causes far fewer side effects than the same amount of chemotherapy given via intravenous infusion. In this way, we can deliver much larger quantities and thus exposing the tumor cells at concentrations that are up to 100 times higher than via an infusion.

If in addition the drug is heated, it increases the destructive effect on tumor cells and the depth of penetration in the remaining homes.

What is HIPEC?

2009-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

HIPEC, the name of international technology, is an abbreviation which means hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy, which means flushing the cavity of the abdomen with heated chemotherapy. The French equivalent of HIPEC is "CHIP", which means: hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. The surgical treatment consists of three phases: exploration, debulking and even chemotherapy.

1. exploration

The surgeon opens the abdomen by a long incision in the midline. After the release of any adhesions, it will make a careful assessment of cancer of the peritoneum. He aims to answer three questions:

1. What is the extension of cancer of the peritoneum?

To this end, the surgeon measures the amount of cancer in 13 regions of the stomach which gives it a score of 1 to 3. These scores are added up in an overall score (the Peritoneal Cancer Index Sugarbaker). This score has a dual purpose. In cases of cancer of the peritoneum by a tumor of the colon (large intestine), the score to avoid an intervention that would be unnecessary if the score is above 20. In this case, there is very little chance of achieving a HIPEC offers better patient survival, when the intervention will not be continued. The score also allows an estimate of prognosis is the lowest score, the better the prognosis.

2. Is it known to remove all households in cancer?

Especially in the case of cancer of the peritoneum by a tumor of the colon (large intestine), it is very important that all households with cancer that are visible to the naked eye can be removed prior to rinsing with chemotherapy. When we do not remove all visible outbreaks, there is very little chance of achieving a HIPEC offers better patient survival, and response will not be continued.

A primary cause of the inability to remove all households tumor is the presence of homes on a too large area of the small intestine: there must be at least 1.5 m of small intestine to allow for a healthy normal absorption of food. Then, the vessels of the liver may be surrounded by the tumor, which prevents a complete resection. Finally, part of the stomach may be covered by the tumor. Although resection of part or all of the stomach in this case is technically possible, the quality of life after this intervention as part of a HIPEC is too bad with digestion difficulties, in which HIPEC case is no longer justified.

3. Are there any seeding in the liver?

Despite all the advances in medical imaging techniques before the operation (scan, magnetic resonance, PETscan), it is not possible to exclude in advance and with certainty 100% seeding of the liver (metastases in liver). The surgeon performs the operation during an ultrasound. When we discovered sowing liver, there is very little chance of achieving a HIPEC offers better patient survival, and the intervention was not continued.

When peritoneal cancer is not too large, it can be removed completely, and no liver metastases, the surgeon begins the next phase of the intervention: the débulking (see below) . Otherwise, it makes no HIPEC, but if necessary intervention to prevent or relieve obstruction by a short circuit between the area of the intestine immediately upstream and the area of the intestine just downstream of the narrowing .

2. debulking

Cytoreduction means Debulking or removal (resection) of all tumor homes that are visible for the naked eye.

-peritoneum where it is achieved by tumor homes.

-l 'epiploon: the "fat apron" hanging from the stomach and intestines and the drape which is often the bearer of tumor.

-in each case, resection of the spleen, gall bladder, uterus (womb) and ovaries, part of the diaphragm, part of the small intestine or large intestine or other organs if necessary.

It is this part of the assistance which can last several hours, see a good part of the day.

3. rinse the belly cavity with heated chemotherapy

After removing all visible tumor, we rinse the belly cavity with heated chemotherapy. We are putting pipes in the belly cavity to transport heated liquid from fluid reservoir external to the stomach, and then repeat the liquid to the tank by a closed circuit. When the desired temperature is reached, a chemotherapy adds to the liquid. For bowel cancer, for example, should be rinsed with the mitomycin C to 41.5 ° Celsius for 90 minutes. For other tumors using other schemes.

What has changed recently in the treatment of cancer of the peritoneum

2009-02-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

Over the past twenty years, Professor Paul Sugarbaker HIPEC applies to the United States. The surgery seemed heavy enough to give good results in the hands of Professor Sugarbaker, but was little used outside of its own because of the lack of studies comparing patients who received the intervention and other patients who had not suffered.

All this was changed with the publication of the Nederlands Kanker Instituut in Amsterdam in September 2003 of the first and so far only comparative study in patients with colon tumors (large intestine) associated with peritoneal cancer. For the first time, this study showed that patients who had undergone a HIPEC were better than patients on standard therapy (see above). Some patients appeared to heal, or at least survive longer, which is not possible so far with chemotherapy alone. For all patients, including those that do not heal, there was a gain in terms of survival of a year on average.

Since that study, several cancer centers in Europe and the USA have implemented several variants of the technique of HIPEC. Dr. Stefaan Mulier, currently working at the Clinique du Parc Leopold in Brussels, apply the original technique of the Nederlands Kanker Instituut in Amsterdam since 2001.

What ,is the standard treatment for peritoneal cancer

2009-02-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Until recently, the conventional treatment of peritoneal cancer consisted of intravenous chemotherapy (chemotherapy via an infusion). If signs of obstruction, we performed an intervention to relieve the obstruction by a short circuit between the area of the intestine immediately upstream and the area of the intestine immediately downstream of the occlusion. To relieve ascites, drugs were given to evacuate the liquid and is making demands to evacuate.

What are the most frequent causes of peritoneal cancer

2009-02-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

In colon cancer (large intestine cancer ), approximately 15% of patients can develop peritoneum cancer. Often, it is a combination of seeding to the peritoneum and seeding to the liver and / or other organs. In 3% of patients, limited seeding to the peritoneum. For this group of patients that HIPEC may be indicated (see below).

In ovarian cancer, about 75% of patients develop peritoneal cancer. In 50% of patients, limited seeding to the peritoneum. For this group of patients that HIPEC may be indicated (see below).

A pseudomyxome is a rare form of peritoneal cancer. It is caused by a small tumor, benign in itself, at the base of the appendix, which compresses and prevents the passage of mucus. The mucus accumulates in the appendix ruptures with mucus and implantation of tumor cells in the cavity of the abdomen. Tumor cells continue to produce mucus, which causes bloating of the belly, a joining of the intestines and an occlusion (see above). HIPEC is a treatment of choice for this tumor that grows slowly.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of peritoneal cancer which has its roots in the cells of the peritoneum and is often caused by asbestos. In a first variant, there is a lot of ascites (fluid in the abdomen) and tumor homes are very fine and rather mild. In a second variant, there is little ascites tumor homes but are thicker and less benign. The HIPEC may be indicated especially in the first variant.

stomach Cancer is a frequent seeding to the peritoneum. In Japan, HIPEC is applied as a preventative measure for advanced gastric cancer, with apparently good results. Stomach cancer in Japan and stomach cancer in the West are not strictly comparable. There is still no reliable scientific data on the potential benefit of HIPEC in stomach cancer in the West.

Finally, peritoneal cancer may be a complication of many tumors within or outside the abdomen such as cancer of the pancreas, biliary tract cancer, sarcoma (cancer of connective tissue) and cancer breast. Currently there is no scientific data that support the application of HIPEC for these indications.

What are the consequences of the peritoneal cancer?

2009-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Peritoneum Cancer can cause two types of problems:

-the formation of ascites (filling the cavity of the abdomen by fluid in abnormally large quantities). Any healthy person has a small amount of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, which facilitates the sliding of loops of the small intestine. This fluid is produced on a continuous basis, especially in the peritoneum of the small intestine, and is continually reabsorbed, mainly by the peritoneum below the diaphragm (breathing muscle between the chest cavity and abdominal cavity) and the peritoneum of épiploon (apron of fat that depends on the stomach and covers the intestines. In cancer of the peritoneum, there may be an imbalance between production and absorption of liquid, such as by blocking the absorption in homes tumor, which causes the appearance of ascites. The patient remarked that it is rapidly gaining weight and the stomach becomes distended and tense.

-obstruction (difficult on passaging of intestinal contents). Households tumor can paste the intestinal loops between them and the wall of the abdomen. The decline joining the mobility of the intestine and cause bends and hairpin turns. Households tumor outside the intestine may compress the bowel wall and complicate the transition. An occlusion can manifest itself by the onset of cramps and vomiting, absence of passage of gas and stools, and bloating of the abdomen.

primary peritoneal cancer prognosis, cause, treatment

2009-02-02T08:45:00.000-08:00

What is cancer of the peritoneum?

The peritoneum is a membrane that covers all organs of the abdomen (belly). It secretes the fluid in the abdomen, which facilitates the sliding of the intestines during the propulsion of food. Its surface area of the skin, namely 2 m².

Peritoneal cancer means the presence of small cancer cells on the peritoneum. Below you see the small intestine, covered by peritoneum, on which are located a few small cancer pink cells.

Abdomen Tumors, such as cancer of the large intestine (colon) and tumors of the ovaries, can spread and create sowings in three ways:

-via the lymphatic vessels to lymph nodes

-via the veins to other organs like the liver or lungs

-via the abdominal cavity to the peritoneum

Patients with peritoneal seeding to have already seeding to the liver or lungs. However, in some patients, the seeding is limited to the peritoneum. For the latter group of patients, a HIPEC may be indicated.

Treatment of prostate cancer can be improved

2009-01-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

A team of British scientists discovered a new way to improve the effectiveness of treatments against cancer of the prostate.
A team of British scientists discovered a new way to improve the effectiveness of treatments against cancer of the prostate.

According to an article published in Cancer Gene Therapy, the researchers identified a gene that, when blocked, makes the cancer cells more sensitive to certain treatments of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Scientists point out that the cancer of the prostate is very resistant to all forms of chemotherapy.

Obese women are more subject to do not work chemo therapy

2009-01-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

The patients with overweight or obese are more likely to receive a reduced dose of drugs that can save your life.
The weight of a woman can influence the dose of chemotherapy you receive, revealed that researchers found that patients with overweight or obese are more likely to receive a reduced dose of drugs that can save your life.

The study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, analyzed data from more than nine thousand women in an early stage of breast cancer treated with chemotherapy.

In testicular cancer does not prevent conception

2009-01-20T16:38:00.000-08:00

Eighty-seven percent of patients with testicular cancer are able to conceive, says a study published in Britain.
Eighty-seven percent of patients with testicular cancer are able to conceive, says a study published in Britain. Researchers have questionnaires to more than 200 men who tried to conceive after having been subjected to treatments for the disease, between 1982 and 1992. Of these, 77% managed to be parents of course and another 10% achieved after the fertility treatments. The study also concluded that patients treated with chemotherapy after surgery have a greater risk of infertility, when compared with those not passed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy only for now.

New test to chemotherapy for treating lung cancer

2009-01-20T16:36:00.000-08:00

New test to chemotherapy in order to medicate lung cancer was developed by American scientists a test that requires patients of lung cancer, even in a initial state, may benefit from chemotherapy.
Was developed by American scientists a test that requires patients of lung cancer, even in a initial state, may benefit from chemotherapy.

Analyzing the genes, the scientists were able to identify aggressive cancers that are most likely to return.

This means that chemotherapy can be provided for these people, in addition to surgery, reported the New England Journal of Medicine.

Cancer specialists in the UK said that it could provide specific treatment for each patient.

Revolutionary therapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer

2009-01-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

International Physicians are using a new technique. A new therapy is to revolutionize the quality of life of patients with colorectal cancer (cancer of the intestine and the rectum). Combining the active ingredient cetuximab to chemotherapy, this significantly increases the efficiency of chemotherapy without potentiate the toxicity problems and increase the bleeding and healing in patients undergoing surgery.

Doctors already use this technique to reduce the damage of the liver, making possible the surgical removal of the tumor, which can offer a real potential for cure in patients who were not operable at the outset.

The editorial responsibility and this information is the scientific journal

Vitamins A and E may undermine chemotherapy

2009-01-20T16:32:00.000-08:00

A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology showed that vitamins A and E can be harmful for patients with cancer. This is because these vitamins can reduce the effectiveness of treatment by chemotherapy and change the mode of operation of drugs used in therapy.

Chemotherapy in women can causes rapid bone loss

2009-01-20T16:31:00.000-08:00

The chemotherapy administered to women with breast cancer in an initial state of development causes a reduction of bone mineral density at a very rapid growth.
The chemotherapy administered to women with breast cancer in an initial state of development causes a reduction of bone mineral density at a very rapid growth, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, researchers show Americans, stressing that the loss of bone mass was so significant that the study was interrupted to allow the patients were treated.

The research showed that 35 women in pre-menopausal, undergone chemotherapy had a loss of bone density by 8 percent, after a year of treatment.

According to experts, the chemotherapy caused the premature interruption of the functioning of the ovaries, halting the production of estrogen involved in the reproduction and protection against bone weakening, which means that these women are therefore more prone to osteoporosis.

Provides a test of chemotherapy in the heart

2009-01-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

A team of researchers developed a test able to predict cardiac complications caused by chemotherapy, the newspaper announced the American Heart Association.
A team of researchers developed a test able to predict cardiac complications caused by chemotherapy, the newspaper announced the American Heart Association.

The scientists explain that after treatment, high levels of the protein troponin I indicate a high risk of heart problems in the years following the chemotherapy.

Genetic test can predict effect of chemotherapy

2009-01-20T16:24:00.000-08:00

A new genetic test can identify which women with breast cancer who will benefit from chemotherapy
A new genetic test can identify which women with breast cancer who will benefit from chemotherapy.

That is, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the test will allow experts to assess with certainty which patients who will get a better relationship between benefits and side effects.

The study revealed that half of the patients was reclassified to submit after the test.

WHAT ARE THE STAGES OF BREAST CANCER

2009-01-05T02:44:00.000-08:00

When breast cancer is discovered in a patient, more tests are needed to determine if it has spread to other parts of the body. It's also called Staging of Cancer. The doctor will make a plan for cancer treatment according to stages determined.

Here are the stages used for breast cancer.

Cancer (or carcinoma) in breast
15% -20% of breast cancers are very early cancers. They are sometimes called carcinoma in situ.
There are 2 types of breast carcinoma in situ. The first type is the canal in situ carcicome (= duct or intraductal carcinoma), the second type is the lobular carcinoma (= lobular carcinoma) in situ. Lobular carcinoma in situ is not cancer but from the point of view on the classification called carcinoma in situ or stage 0 breast cancer. It is included here because it is sometimes discovered when a biopsy is done for a body or another anomaly discovered in mammography. Patients who are lobular carcinoma history, contains 25% risk for developing breast cancer within the next 25 years.

Stage I
The size of the cancer does not exceed 2 centimeters and the cancer has not spread outside the breast.

Stage II
This stage is reached in any of these conditions:

Cancer does not exceed 2 inches but it has spread to axillary lymph nodes (= the armpit).
Cancer has a size between 2 and 5 cm with or without spread to lymph nodes in the armpit.
It is larger than 5 centimeters but spread to the lymph nodes of the armpit.
Stage III
The Stage III is divided into stage IIIA and IIIB.
The stage III is defined by one of the following conditions:
The cancer is smaller than 5 centimeters and has spread to axillary lymph nodes and attached them or other structures.
The cancer is larger than 5 centimeters and has spread to the axillary lymph nodes.
The stage IIIB is defined by one of the following conditions:
The cancer has spread to surrounding tissues of the breast (skin or chest wall, including ribs and chest muscles).
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes inside the chest wall.
Stage IV
The cancer has spread to other organs of the body, often the bone, lungs or brain. Or the tumor has spread locally to the skin and lymph nodes within the neck.
Inflammatory breast cancer
It is a rare type of breast cancer. The breast is the appearance of inflammation because it is red and hot.
Inflammatory cancer tends to spread quickly.

recurrence risk of breast cancer
It is said that the disease recurrence when the cancer returns (= recurrence) after being treated. Recidivism can be done in any part of the body.

Developments in the treatment of breast cancer

2009-01-05T02:20:00.000-08:00

In breast cancer metastases in the presence of hormone receptors in post-menopausal women, tamoxifen is considered for the treatmentas a first choice. Recently, randomized studies have shown that patients greater effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors compared to tamoxifen on the disease and a lower risk of complications and endometrial thromboembolism. Aromatase inhibitors appear therefore burden promising role in first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer in the presence of hormone receptors for women who are living post menopause period. In the non-metastatic cancer, encouraging preliminary results were also published with aromatase inhibitors but follow-up to the longer term is necessary. Recently, trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody, is also proposed for the treatment of certain breast cancer metastases, particularly in the event of failure of chemotherapy.

Drug treatment on breast cancer has been used from early 1990th. And this treatment methods give promissing results for our next future hopes

cancer treatment Chronic medication and surgery

2008-11-14T04:12:00.002-08:00

The surgery involves some risks that can be aggravated by the effect of some drugs. On the other side for a time before and after surgery can not take food or water by mouth. This can lead to a temporary interruption of the usual treatment.

But if this is a very long interruption, the absence of treatment may also be detrimental to their health, as they are not receiving treatment can return some symptoms of his illness. In other cases the agency is accustomed to the presence of medication and its removal may lead what is called withdrawal syndrome.

When you have to undergo a surgical intervention is very important that you consult a doctor prescribed the medication you take, to make recommendations about whether you should continue taking it until the day of the intervention, or must leave a few days before . Most of the drugs can continue to take up to two hours before surgery. While you are fasting for physician's order, this state fasting relates to food. The taking of a little water swallowing medication poses no risk to human intervention, provided it is two hours or more in advance.
It is also very important that leads to the Hospital scored in the paper the names of the medicines you take and the dosages and times in which the making, so the doctor can evaluate the appropriateness of continuing to take them or suspend them. You can choose to carry the boxes with medicines to the hospital, to have more information but do not ever take on their own without saying a doctor or nurse because it could endanger their health.
To make the list of chronic medications you take, we recommend using the drug plan finder individualized medication schedule. This information would be very useful for professionals who meet him at the hospital and help to improve their security