Post-Prostatectomy Radiation: Is It Necessary?

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer may find their best bet to beat the disease is to have this gland removed entirely. After all, when the tumor site is removed, most worries melt away. That’s not always the case, however. Stray cells can linger behind after surgery, creating new problems down the road. This is why it is sometimes recommended that men undergo radiation following prostatectomy to help ensure none of those stray cells remain behind.

Concerns about radiation therapy and its possible side effects have led some men and their doctors to shy away from this more aggressive secondary step. Researchers are finding, however, that Image-Guided Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IG-IMRT) can have a tremendous impact on cancer while helping men potentially avoid many of the more unsavory side effects of prostate cancer treatment. IG-IMRT is a highly targeted form of radiation that protects nearby healthy tissue courtesy of its precision. The end result is irradiation of the tumor site area and the sparing of other tissues.

To look more deeply at the benefits of IG-IMRT, researchers recently completed a study involving 68 men. These men were treated with RT or ART. The median age of the group was 59.8 years. At the end of the study, researchers found a low five-year incidence rate for side effects, such as gastrointestinal and sexual concerns. They also found an overall relapse-free rate of 72.7 percent.

While researchers acknowledged their study group was relative small, their findings shed light on the benefits of post-prostatectomy radiotherapy. More study on the topic is likely as radiation methods continue to become more precise.

Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer should carefully review all treatment options with their healthcare providers. When indicated, prostatectomy procedures can greatly lower morbidity risks. When followed with radiation, concerns about relapse can often be reduced greatly, as well.

Study Finds Proton Therapy Delivers Advantages for Esophageal Cancer Patients

Esophageal cancer isn’t the most commonly known form of this disease, but it’s among the deadliest. An estimated 16,980 new cases are reported each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Approximately 15,590 Americans die from the disease each and every year.

Considering those grim figures, effectively fighting this disease is a major priority for healthcare providers with patients who suffer from it. New research indicates that proton therapy may hold some advantages over other radiation techniques for effectively battling this disease.

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore recently undertook a study looking at the effectiveness of proton therapy in treating esophageal cancer. To arrive at their findings about this technique, researchers tracked 600 patients with the disease. When all was said and done, the researchers found that proton therapy was associated with a greatly reduced incident rate of nausea, blood abnormalities and appetite loss than more traditional, older radiation techniques.

Proton therapy calls for the use of a proton beam to irradiate tissue diseased with cancer. This therapy works in much the same manner as standard radiation therapy, but it is able to be targeted more precisely. This high level of precision quite often enables practitioners to more readily protect nearby tissue from damage. The main goal of both proton and standard radiation therapy is to eradicate cancer cells, but targeting issues can result in collateral damage to healthy cells.

The University of Maryland’s researchers say their study adds to the evidence that supports the benefits of proton therapy in preserving quality of life for cancer patients while effectively treating the disease. Proton therapy has also shown itself effective in treating brain, neck, lung and prostate cancer, among others.

People who are diagnosed with esophageal cancer are urged to discuss all their treatment options with their healthcare providers. Proton therapy may provide a viable option for treatment while sparing healthy tissue from damage in the process.

Black Women May Have Higher Risk for Gene Linked to Breast Cancer

Each year more than 231,000 American women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Many more also find their doctors have discovered the cancer in its earliest forms. And, while women of Caucasian descent are more likely to develop the disease by a slight margin than their black counterparts, researchers have uncovered an unusual finding in relation to the genes that are believed to be linked to the disease. It seems young black women have a higher rate of BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations than was previously thought.

The research involved 396 black women in Florida who were all diagnosed with invasive breast cancer before the age of 50. Of these women, 12.4 percent had either BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. These mutations normally are a genetic link that happens to be found in those with a family history of ovarian or breast cancer. What researchers found, however, is that about 40 percent of the women in the study who tested positive for one of the two gene mutations had no family ties to cancer.

Conducted by researchers at Tampa’s Moffitt Cancer Center, the study sheds light on the fact that family history may not always serve as a portent for cancer. All black women who test positive for invasive breast cancer at a young age, researchers say, may find it beneficial to be tested for the genes.

Breast cancer is one of the leading cancer killers of women in the United States and beyond. Self-examinations, routine physicals and regular mammograms can lead to early detection and potentially life-saving treatment. Women who are concerned about breast cancer are urged to discuss their risks with their healthcare providers. While black women are at a slightly lower risk than white, the reality is breast cancer does not really discriminate in its targets.

Substance in Saliva May Offer Insight into Oral Cancer Recurrence

Oral cancers are not the most commonly diagnosed cases in the United States, but they are among the most deadly. With an estimated 40,000 new cases each year, the disease ranks well behind lung, prostate and breast cancer. Even so, an unacceptable 7,500 people die from oral cancers annually with men being twice as likely as women to develop this disease.

When caught early, oral cancers do tend to be rather treatable. Problems with recurrence, however, can plague survivors. That’s why researchers have been delving into new ways to better determine which patients will be more likely down the road to encounter a relapse.

Enter new research published in JAMA Oncology in 2015. In a small-scale study, researchers found there could be a connection between the human papillomavirus type 16 and a recurrence of oral cancer. To arrive at their findings, a study of 124 patients with oral cancer was conducted. About 7 percent of patients (5 out of 67) who had HPV16 DNA in their oral rinse at the time of diagnosis were found to have this DNA in post-treatment rinses. Of those who did, all patients did develop a local recurrence of cancer.

While researchers say the findings could be game changing, they are hesitant to shout the results from the rooftops just yet. Further research is required to better understand the role HPV16 DNA plays in recurrence. It’s also possible the findings might indicate that initial treatments did not fully eradicate cancer in the first place.

Further research is hoped to occur to better understand HPV16 DNA’s role and whether it could serve as a prognostic tool for the likelihood of oral cancer recurrence. If that proves to be the case, the tool may also help lead to earlier detection of recurrences that could prompt more desirable outcomes down the road for oral cancer patients.

Low-Risk Moles a Possible Warning for Aggressive Melanoma

Moles in general may serve as an early warning sign for the development of melanoma, a recent study indicates. The researchers, in fact, found that people with low-risk moles seem to have a higher risk of developing aggressive melanoma over time in some cases.

To arrive at those findings, researchers looked at 281 melanoma cases. Of that group, about two-thirds initially presented with low-risk traits, such as fewer than 50 moles, and not atypical moles. Over time, however, these people were much more likely to develop aggressive melanoma than others.

Researchers at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, in fact, found that people with low-risk features were ultimately twice as likely to have advanced melanoma at diagnosis than patients who initially presented with more than 50 moles.

While only a small-scale study, the research does shed light on the need for people to be screened for the potential of skin cancer. Researchers say this is especially so for people who are fair skinned, have a family history of melanoma, have a strong history of sun damage and those who suffer from immunosuppression.

About 73,800 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed in the United States annually. An estimated 9,900 die from the disease each year. People who are at risk for melanoma are urged to speak with their health care providers about the potential for this condition and to have any suspicious moles checked out by a professional.

If caught early, melanoma may often be successfully treated using a variety of techniques. The key, however, is to identify and act upon the condition as quickly as possible. While some risks, such as family history, may not be reduced, people can help themselves avoid this condition by limiting exposure to the sun and taking measures to protect from damaging UV rays when they are outdoors. The vast majority of skin cancer cases are linked to UV damage.

Less Can Be More with Prostate Cancer Treatments

While aggressive treatments are called for in more advanced cases of prostate cancer, patients with low-risk forms of the disease may find that less is technically more. New research, in fact, is revealing that increased doses of radiation treatment may offer no real benefits while opening the door for greater side effect risks.

The research was compiled by the University of Pennsylvania’s department of radiation oncology. There researchers used information from the National Cancer Database to arrive at their findings. The study looked at the survival rates of 42,481 men diagnosed with prostate cancer. While the study found that increased doses of radiation proved effective in helping men with medium- to high-risk prostate cancer, no real difference was found in the survival rates of men with low-risk forms of the disease when higher doses were administered.For men with medium risk tumors, increased doses increased survival rates by 7.8 percent. Those with high-risk forms of the disease saw their survival rates climb by 6.3 percent.

While the research showed that higher doses of radiation are beneficial in more advanced cases of the disease, increased doses for low-risk cases can open the door for greater side-effect risks with potential damage to such areas as the rectum and bladder. When lower doses are indicated for treatment, healthy, normal tissue can be more effectively protected.

Prostate cancer strikes an estimated 150,000 American men each and every year. Many of these men undergo aggressive treatments including complete prostate removal and/or radiation. In some cases, at least, men may find a more conservative treatment path beneficial, the research indicates.

Men who are concerned about prostate cancer are urged to speak with their healthcare providers. Routine screening for the disease should begin around the age of 50. Should the disease be detected, men are urged to discuss all treatment options carefully with their doctors before choosing a course of action.

Hospice: Delivering Compassionate Care Regardless of Environment

One of America’s most recognized nonprofits that’s dedicated to providing dignity and quality care to those facing end-of-life challenges doesn’t discriminate in its mission. The program is available to patients regardless of race, creed, religion, financial standing, and, as it turns out, incarceration status. With many studies showing that the prison community as a whole has a greater incident rate of serious illness, such as malignant cancers, this program has taken its mission inside in a very big way. The problem, however, is that while many prison hospice programs thrive, this option isn’t available everywhere.

One of the country’s most notable prison-based hospice programs is found in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. This program, located in Angola, serves a population of more than 5,000 male prisoners, many of whom face life sentences. Since its inception in 1998, Angola’s hospice program has served more than 220 patients with professional healthcare providers and inmate volunteers helping prisoners face difficult end-of-life issues in an especially difficult environment. Like hospice programs in the general population, Angola’s program is patient-centered, delivering unconditional care to those in need.

Angola’s hospice program delivers the same basic care other hospice programs do with a few twists. Since this is ultimately a prison environment, safety protocols must also be followed. Angola’s hospice workers and volunteers have learned to balance these needs with patient needs successfully.

While the hospice program at Louisiana State Penitentiary isn’t the nation’s only one, it serves as a strong example and speaks to the need for similar operations across the country. With prison populations facing higher cancer incident rates along with higher disease and illness rates overall, the need for similar programs throughout the American correctional system is high.

With various forms of cancer claiming thousands of lives each and every year, compassionate, end-of-life care is critical for all humans facing this journey into the unknown. Angola’s hospice program serves as a shining example of how to deliver the care that is needed the most to populations who might not otherwise receive it.

Palliative Radiotherapy Delivers Help for Ongoing Supportive Care

With more cancer patients living longer lives despite metastatic tumors, the need for ongoing pain management and symptomatic relief is becoming evident. Pain, especially, is a concern for those with tumors located in the bone, spine or brain. While medications can deliver some pain management support, palliative radiotherapy may offer a stronger, more immediate prong of support without necessarily degrading quality of life in the process.

Doctors are finding that palliative radiotherapy can provide rapid symptomatic relief of neurologic symptoms, bleeding and obstructions that are often associated with incurable or metastatic tumors. In shrinking and/or controlling tumor growth more effectively, this treatment can restore quality of life for some patients with incurable cancer.

Patients who are offered palliative radiotherapy need to be aware the treatment is designed as a support mechanism, but not as a cure. It is meant to target tumors for relief of symptoms, providing patients a fast, cost-effective and overall effective way to manage symptoms.

Like regular radiotherapy, palliative treatments target tumors with an eye on killing the cancer cells. Rather than seeking a cure, however, this form of radiotherapy is meant to control or delay the growth of a tumor to help prolong life while potentially avoiding quality-of-life affecting side effects and symptoms.

While palliative radiotherapy can provide patients with dramatic results in pain and symptom management, the treatments have been shown to have the potential for diminishing returns over time. That means they may essentially stop working at some point and fail to provide the desired relief.

Managing the long-term care of patients with incurable or metastatic cancer can be aided by palliative radiotherapy. This tool can provide the necessary relief to help patients enjoy a higher quality of life for a time. Even so, the treatment is merely supportive and does not deliver a cure. Those interested in learning more about the potential palliative radiotherapy might provide in their cases are urged to discuss the option with their healthcare providers.

Extra Ears Help Manage Incoming Information for Cancer Patients

When you are diagnosed with cancer, the information begins flying at you fast and furious. It can be difficult to wrap your brain around the diagnosis itself without also managing the terminology, treatment options, prognosis, potential side effects, and other information that your doctor will be providing you with in this already overwhelming time. How can you best manage this difficult time in your life, gather all the information that you desperately need, and make the decisions that are best for your treatment?

Have a Buddy in your Corner

One of the ways that you can help manages all this information is by having a loved one assist you. A spouse, a trusted friend, or family member can accompany you to doctor appointments so that they can also listen to what the doctor has to say, take notes, help formulate questions, and overall offer you another perspective and an extra set of ears when you might not be taking in everything that you need to hear.

When you are under an enormous amount of stress it can be difficult to decipher what is being said to you at any given time and to understand what is being said. It is understandable that you are under stress when you receive a cancer diagnosis and so it is also understandable that you may not receive information in the way that it is given. It really helps to have someone along for the ride who can help you organize all the facts so that the appropriate decisions can be made.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

Of course this requires that you reach out to someone and ask them to accompany you and that can feel overwhelming in and of itself. Don’t hesitate. This is the time when you need the people you love – and who love you – around you. So reach out, ask the question, and know that someone has your back.

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Treating Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and second only to lung cancer in cancer-related deaths in women. While it can be a very scary diagnosis, breast cancer does respond to a variety of treatments that have been used successfully to help restore the patient to their normal activities and back to better health. The medical team charged with putting together the best treatment plan for their patient works with the information they have – including stage and grade of cancer – and customizes a treatment plan that not only effectively and aggressively attacks the malignancy but works within the patient’s lifestyle in a way that makes returning them to their normal routine a priority.

What are the treatment options for breast cancer?

Surgery – When breast cancer is still confined to the breast itself, surgery is found to be an excellent treatment option. During surgery, the cancer tumor is removed. In some cases partial or full mastectomies is performed and nearby lymph nodes are examined to determine if cancer cells have spread.

Radiation Therapy – There are a variety of radiation treatments available for breast cancer including accelerated breast irradiation, 3D-conformal radiotherapy, and brachy therapy (internal radiation). Radiation therapy can be performed as the main treatment for breast cancer or as treatment following surgery.

Chemotherapy – Delivers drugs throughout the body that target cancer cells. Physicians often choose chemotherapy when the cancer has spread to ensure that all cancer cells are found and eradicated.

Hormone Therapy – This therapy blocks the estrogen receptors in cancer cells which prevent those cells from dividing and continuing to grow. Hormone therapy is often used in conjunction with other therapies.

In addition to the type, stage, and grade of cancer, a treatment plan must also take into account a patient’s age and overall health. Using all of this information, the physician creates a treatment plan that in many cases combines a variety of therapies in a way that allows for the greatest chance for success with the lowest risk of side-effects to the patient.

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