When surgery does not help in controlling the spread of renal cancer and its metastases and spreads to newer areas of the body, there are other treatment options available. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the popular, traditional options, while vaccine therapy is in clinical trials stage for treating advanced renal cell carcinoma. Targeted therapies are what doctors recommend as additional treatment options for treating renal cancer that is in the advanced stages. Radiation therapy uses various types of high energy radiation depending on the location of the tumor in the body, to destroy the DNA molecules inside the cancer cells and targets the tumor specifically, thus preventing them growing and dividing further, and in the process provides pain relief to the patient. When the renal cell carcinoma spreads to the bones, external beam radiation therapy is given to either prevent the weak bones from breaking or to heal a fractured bone. The temporary side effects of radiation therapy that lasts less than a year include dry, sensitive skin that could turn red sometimes. Depending on the area where radiation is given, constipation or diarrhea, anemia, low white blood cell count, vomiting, fatigue and urinary discomfort may also occur. In the advanced stage, when renal cancer spreads to the brain, radiosurgery, a non-surgical treatment where high dose radiation beams are directed to the brain tumors is the preferred treatment.

Mesothelioma is aggressive cancer that has been found to affect the mesothelium that lines specific organs like the lungs, the stomach, and the heart. It is a relatively rarer form of cancer and has been linked to asbestos exposure. There are three types of mesothelioma that are currently known. Pleural mesothelioma occurs when a tumor forms in the pleural membranes that protect the lungs. Since the lungs are the region affected, symptoms of pleural mesothelioma invariable have to do with respiratory distress, shortness of breath and pain in the chest region. Pleural mesothelioma is believed to be caused when asbestos fibers are inhaled through the air passages. Pleural mesothelioma is usually treated with pleurectomy surgery to remove the tumor, and if necessary, even a part of the lungs that may have the cancerous growth. Surgery is normally supported by chemotherapy and radiation. However, the median survival rate for those with pleural mesothelioma is about a year but prognosis may vary depending on the extent of cancerous spread. Peritoneal mesothelioma is believed to be caused by swallowing asbestos fibers which make their way to the stomach and get trapped in the peritoneum. The common warning signs may include swelling in the abdominal region, anorexia, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss.

Breast cancer affects a large percentage of women every year, and metastatic breast cancer also known as advanced or Stage IV breast cancer, comprises about 6 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases. Breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body results in breast cancer metastasis. In some women, after the primary breast cancer has been treated, the breast cancer may have advanced spreading to parts of the body other than the breasts. Read on, to know more about metastatic breast cancer and the new advanced breast cancer treatment options available. How long is the treatment? Though it will be overwhelming for a person to be affected by advanced breast cancer, there is quite a lot of treatment options available. The metastatic breast cancer treatment never ends, and the patient needs to regularly follow up for effective management of the condition. Many people want to know how many rounds of infusions or chemotherapies are required but the reality is that there is no end point of treatment when suffering from breast cancer metastasis. Such women may need to get themselves evaluated once every three months to make sure that cancer has not spread anywhere else in the body.

Cancer is the name given to a group of related diseases. Diseases that fall under the umbrella of cancer are characterized by the uncontrolled division of cells that spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can occur anywhere in the human body. As the cells become more and more abnormal, the old cells, which should die, start surviving, and new cells start growing, spreading in areas of the body where they are not needed. This is how tumors are formed. Cancer information shows that some cancer cells develop a solid mass of the tumor, whereas some cancers, such as blood cancer or leukemia, do not produce solid tumors. Recent developments in cancer research Cancer research has yielded considerable gains in the past few years, leading to more extended and improved quality of life for cancer patients. Fast progress in cancer immunotherapy has helped in curing many cancer patients all over the world. Cancer immunotherapy treatments enhance the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. Recent cancer research includes works on bi-specific drugs based on T-cell receptors that bind to the human leukocyte antigen peptide on cancer cells and recruit and redirect host immune T-cells which kill the target by apoptosis, which is the programmed death of cells.

Irritation caused to the esophagus cells by consuming alcohol, being overweight, smoking, etc. are considered to trigger the risks of developing esophagus cancer. Esophageal cancer, also known as esophageal carcinoma, is a cancer of the tube or food pipe called esophagus that runs from the throat to the stomach. Read on to learn more about this type of cancer, the causes, symptoms, and cancer of esophagus treatment options. The causes When it comes to the factors that cause esophageal cancer, there is no clear evidence of which factors are the cause. However, it is believed that this particular cancer is related to the mutations or abnormalities of the DNA that are related to the esophagus. It is this mutation that signals the cells in the esophagus to multiply abnormally and rapidly, compared to normal cell division in a healthy esophagus. The symptoms Remember, during the early stages of esophageal cancer, a patient is less likely to experience any of these symptoms. Patients sometimes experience no symptoms at all when suffering from the early stages of esophageal cancer. However, as the disease progresses, some symptoms become evident which are: Digestion issues Sudden weight loss Heartburn Vomiting Pain and difficulty in swallowing Fatigue Pain in the chest Choking while eating Food coming back up through the esophagus A chronic cough or hoarseness Treatment options Just like any other form of cancer, there is some cancer of esophagus treatment options available to patients.

The bladder is a muscle shaped like a balloon serving as the pouch for urine storage inside the body. When cancer begins in this muscle, it is known as bladder cancer or bladder carcinoma. Often considered as the most common type of cancer, affecting almost around 68,000 adults in the United States of America alone, bladder cancer affects men more than women. Nowadays, there are many treatment options available for this type of cancer. In case you were wondering whether immunotherapy bladder cancer treatment can be helpful or not, this article is for you. What is immunotherapy? Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment therapy that is designed in such a way, that it stimulates the defense mechanism or immune system of the body to attack and destroy the cancer cells. There are two types of immunotherapy that are used for treating bladder cancer, these are: Checkpoint inhibitors Cancer vaccines How effective is immunotherapy? As far as the success rate of immunotherapy bladder cancer treatment is considered, it has delivered promising results in treating bladder cancer. The reason that this treatment has been very helpful in treating bladder cancer, is because it has not only helped in increasing the number of people who have had a great response after being treated with it, but it has also reduced the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer.

Lung cancer like most other cancers can be cured when detected early. However, it is unlikely for most people to develop symptoms until the condition is advanced. Though there are various treatment options available, very few people are aware of the lung cancer resources and support systems that can help them deal with the disease better. Here is a brief account to throw some light on the same- Support system & resources The term “lung cancer support system” refers to the network of people who can offer both emotional and practical support to a patient who is suffering from lung cancer. Listed below are a few common types of support systems and resources available to lung cancer patients. Online support communities – For those who are suffering from lung cancer, online support communities can be a great place to discuss and share one’s own experience of how lung cancer is affecting them. Sharing with fellow members who are also suffering from the same can be helpful. Local support groups – There are also support groups present in your locality who are there to provide guidance and support to live your life with lung cancer in the best way possible. Your healthcare team – The nurses, doctors, therapists and other healthcare personnel who are treating patients are a great support system for those who are terminally ill and have to stay at hospitals for the necessary palliative care.

Every year, more than 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and over 14,000 women die from it. In the majority of cases, the disease is diagnosed in the later stages. Resultantly, most of the patients don’t survive. On the other hand, if ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated early, the survival rate is over 90 percent. This is why it is imperative that women, their families, and the healthcare community recognize the early signs and symptoms of this disease. Fortunately, some organizations in the US offer ovarian cancer support to save lives and improve the quality of life for survivors. Following are some of the organizations you can count on for metastatic ovarian cancer support or other help: National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC) NOCC’s goal is to educate communities and make people aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer and to provide reliable metastatic ovarian cancer support. The organization also provides information about the ovarian cancer chemotherapy side effects and assists newly-diagnosed patients. Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) This is another organization that is on a mission to promote, advocates, and supports scientific research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of ovarian cancer.

Genetic medicine has advanced a great deal. There are debates regarding the advantages and disadvantages of genetic testing and how it can help in preventing prostate cancer. The first description of the DNA double helix was back in 1953. This triggered a revolution in the way human beings understood themselves. The entire DNA sequence of human beings known as the genome is powerful information. Understanding genetics brings about possibilities for fighting, preventing and understanding various diseases, which also includes the prostate cancer DNA testing. Genetic testing for detecting prostate cancer There are numerous benefits of gene testing for prostate cancer as well as personalized medicine for individuals who have already been diagnosed with the ailment. However, there are some significant questions about using prostate cancer DNA testing for screening, diagnosing and preventing prostate cancer. According to experts, genetic testing is available for males who have risk factors relating to prostate cancer, but not for men with a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer. These cancers are strongly associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations which are the common genes for prostate cancer that can be tested for inherited mutations at the present. This is due to the fact that testing can only be done when the experts are aware of the associated risk of a specific gene mutation and how to utilize that information.

Melanoma in its later stages has a high capacity for spreading to other parts and organs in the body. The Stage IV melanoma, also known as metastatic melanoma, is when the harmful cells spread via the lymph nodes to distant sites in the body. The signs and symptoms of this disease depend on the organ system that the tumor has grown in. The condition can initially be painless and symptom-free, gradually leading to swollen lymph glands or a string of nodules in the skin. This condition, in most cases, cannot be cured but the recent therapies have increased survival rates greatly. Out of the many treatments for metastatic melanoma, the systemic therapy is the mainstay. When melanoma, in its later stage, cannot be removed with surgery, the systemic treatment for metastatic melanoma comes to the rescue. However, the treatment recommendation is subject to a number of factors, including the person’s age and overall health, the pace at which the disease is spreading, location and number of metastases, the presence of specific genetic mutations in the tumor, and preferences of the patient. Systemic therapies commonly used as treatments for metastatic melanoma can be broadly classified into three groups: cytotoxic chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.

Colon cancer in its preliminary stages is in most cases, amenable to conventional medical interventions, with patients going into remission even without chemotherapy or radiation. However, as the progression of the disease spreads beyond the colon walls and enters the adjoining tissues or lymph nodes, the treatment involved also becomes progressively less effective. In the case of advanced metastatic colon cancer, the treatment modalities typically would comprise surgery with chemotherapy both before and after, along with radiation if recommended by the oncologist. Currently, the medical regimens that are adapted for those with advanced metastatic colon cancer include a number of combination drugs that may also be used along with targeted or non-targeted drugs. Some of the drugs prescribed by oncologists for advanced metastatic colon cancer may include: CapeOX: capecitabine (Xeloda) with oxaliplatin FOLFOX: oxaliplatin with Leucovorin and 5 FU FOLFIRI: irinotecan with Leucovorin and 5 FU FOLFOXIR: irinotecan, Leucovorin, 5 FU and Oxaliplatin The above combinations may also be used along with a specifically targeted drug A number of other drugs and drug combinations are also available for the treatment of advanced metastatic colon cancer . The attending oncologist would work with one regimen first. Only if that regimen fails to have the required results would the oncologist shift to another regimen.