Title: CELIAC
1Where Health Care Professionals Go for Information
Cancer Treatment Options Medical Interventions
Review Date 2/12 O-0535
Contributed by Jason Machowsky, MS, RD, CDN, CSCS
2Where Health Care Professionals Go for Information
- This presentation provides general information
about cancer treatment options. Consult with your
health care professional if you have any
questions or for additional information because
each case is unique.
3Conventional Treatment Options
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
4Surgery
- Sometimes used to diagnose, treat, or prevent
(prophylactic) cancer - Extent of surgery and potential for anesthesia
depends on condition - Preoperative testing sometimes needed to
determine appropriateness and ability to recover
from surgery
5Surgery (contd)
- The best chance of a cure from many types of
cancer is to remove all of the cancer as soon as
possible after diagnosis. If you have a solid
tumor, sometimes surgery alone will cure the
cancer, but you may need chemotherapy, radiation
therapy, or other treatment, too. Your health
care team will discuss your best treatment
options with you. - Source American Cancer Society Web site
6Surgery (contd)
- Minor surgeries and biopsies have lower risk than
major surgery/incisions - Risks are generally low, but may include
- During surgery Bleeding, damage to internal
organs, and reactions to anesthesia or drugs used - After surgery Pain, infection, bleeding, and
slow recovery of other body function (ie, bowels)
7Chemotherapy
- Use of medicines or drugs to treat cancer/disease
- Unlike radiation or surgery that targets a
particular area, chemotherapy works throughout
the body and can kill cancer cells that have
spread to other parts of the body, far from the
original tumor
8Chemotherapy (contd)
- Goals of chemotherapy Cure, slow growth, kill
any spreading cancer cells, and relieve cancer
symptoms - May receive chemotherapy orally, via the skin, or
injected into the body
9Chemotherapy (contd)
- Potential side effects
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Increased risk of bleeding, bruising, and
infection - Nausea and vomiting
- Appetite changes and/or weight change
10Chemotherapy (contd)
- Potential side effects (contd)
- Constipation and/or diarrhea
- Mouth, gum, and throat problems
- Nerve or muscle problems
- Skin and nail changes
- Bladder, kidney, or urine problems
11Radiation Therapy
- Local exposure of the body to high energy
particles or waves (X-ray, gamma rays, electron
beams, etc) to destroy or damage cancer cells - Often performed multiple times for the same cancer
12Radiation Therapy (contd)
- Many types of radiation therapy treatments are
availableselection depends upon the cancer and
severity - Sometimes given orally or intravenously (IV), but
still usually has only local effects - Given alone or in conjunction with other treatment
13Radiation Therapy (contd)
- Potential side effects
- Fatigue
- Skin problems
- Hair loss
- Blood count changes
- Eating problems
- Damage to healthy cells
- Small, but increased risk of another cancer
14Taking Care of Yourself During Radiation
- Get rest
- Eat a balanced and nutritious diet
- Take care of your skin at the treated area
- Tell your doctor about all medications before
treatment
15Progressive Treatment Options
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Hyperthermia
- Lasers
- Photodynamic therapy
- Bone marrow and stem cell transplants
- Molecular targeted therapy
16Targeted Therapy
- Drugs that specifically target cancer cells by
identifying cancer-specific gene changes - Can typically attack cancer cells with little
damage to normal cells, resulting in different
and usually less severe side effects than
traditional chemotherapy
17Targeted Therapy (contd)
- Used for many types of cancer to cure, slow
growth, kill metastases, or relieve symptoms - Types of targeted therapy
- Enzyme inhibitors
- Apoptosis-inducing drugs
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
18Targeted Therapy (contd)
- Side effects and severity vary based on the
person and type of cancer treated - Potential side effects
- Skin problems (ie, rash, dry skin, and itching)
- Changes in hair growth or color
- Changes around the eyes
- High blood pressure
- Bleeding and clotting issues
19Targeted Therapy (contd)
- Potential side effects (contd)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Mouth sores
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Hand and foot swelling
20Immunotherapy
- Uses your own immune system to fight cancer by
stimulating your own immune system (active) or
supplementing with immune system components
(passive) - May treat some cancers on its own, but typically
used in conjunction with other treatments
21Immunotherapy (contd)
- Examples include monoclonal antibodies, vaccines,
and immunomodulating agents - Certain immunotherapy agents are approved to
treat certain cancers - Side effects depend on type of immunotherapy
performed
22Immunotherapy (contd)
- Side effects may include
- Fever
- Chills
- Weakness
- Headache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Low blood pressure
23Immunotherapy (contd)
- Side effects may include (contd)
- Rashes
- Bleeding
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Thinning hair
24Hyperthermia
- Currently experimental and not widely used (under
clinical trials) - May use high temperatures in localized areas to
destroy small tumors - Raises regional or total body temperature to
promote better effects of chemotherapy or
radiation therapy
25Hyperthermia (contd)
- Careful control of temperature, time, and
location is important, but not always easy to do
26Hyperthermia (contd)
- Local side effects may include
- Pain
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Blood clots
- Swelling
- Burns and blistering
- Local tissue damage
27Hyperthermia (contd)
- Regional/whole body side effects may include
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Potential, but rare, problems with the heart,
blood vessels, and other major organs
28Lasers
- For very careful surgical work, such as cutting
through body tissue or repairing the retina - Different types include CO2, argon, and neodymium
- Shrinks or destroys a tumor with heat
- May activate a drug as part of photodynamic
therapy
29Lasers (contd)
- Pros
- More precise than scalpels
- The heat can help sterilize during cutting and
reduce infection risk - Less bleeding, swelling, pain, or scarring
- May shorten operating time, even outpatient
- Often less invasive
- Healing time typically shorter
30Lasers (contd)
- Drawbacks
- Few doctors are trained to use lasers
- Lasers are expensive and large compared to other
surgical instruments - Strict surgical safety precautions required
- May require multiple treatments to fully
eliminate a cancer
31Photodynamic Therapy
- Uses specialized photosensitizing agent drugs,
typically injected into the bloodstream, and
light to kill cancer cells - Drug is absorbed over time by the cancer cells
and light is applied to - Create a chemical that kills the cells
- Destroy cancer-feeding blood vessels
- Alert the immune system to attack cancer cells
32Photodynamic Therapy (contd)
- As effective as surgery and radiation in certain
cancers, but can only impact areas reached by
light (skin and linings of organs) - Drugs on market
- Porfimer sodium
- Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)
- Methyl ester of ALA
33Photodynamic Therapy (contd)
- Pros
- No long-term side effects when used properly
- Less invasive than surgery
- Usually quick, outpatient treatment
- Can have precise targeting
- Can repeat at the same site
- Little or no permanent scarring
- Costs less than many other treatments
34Photodynamic Therapy (contd)
- Drawbacks
- Not always appropriate for deeper or
significantly spread cancers - Not used for those with certain blood diseases or
who are allergic to porphyrins - Skin and eyes may stay sensitive to light for
some time, from 30 days3 months - Swelling in the treated area
35Photodynamic Therapy (contd)
- Side effects depend on the drug and treatment
site, but may include - Nausea and vomiting
- Fever
- Dehydration
- Headache
- Hiccups
36Photodynamic Therapy (contd)
- Side effects depend on the drug and treatment
site, but may include (contd) - Shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
37Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants
- Can help with certain leukemia, myeloma, and
lymphoma treatments - May use to replace bone marrow destroyed by
disease, including blood-related cancers,
chemotherapy, or radiation - Stem cells are grafted into the patient after a
high dose of radiation/chemotherapy - May come from patient or matched donor
38Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Tests are required to determine appropriateness
for procedure - Patients who do best are usually
- Younger
- In early stage of disease
- Have not already had many treatments
39Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Insurance may not cover or cover well
- In-patient hospital stay necessary
- Significant demand placed on the body, possibly
including central venous line placement
40Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Possible short-term side effects
- Fever and chills
- Shortness of breath
- Hives
- Chest tightness
- Low blood pressure
41Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Possible short-term side effects (contd)
- Coughing
- Chest pain
- Low urine output
- Weakness
42Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Possible long-term side effects, including 1
year later - Graft-versus-host disease
- Infections
- Lung, kidney, liver, and heart problems
- Low thyroid levels
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Depression
43Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants (contd)
- Possible long-term side effects, including 1
year later (contd) - Cataracts
- Slowed growth (children)
- Reproductive problems
- Secondary cancers
- Changes in social relationships and feelings
44Molecular Targeted Therapy
- High specificity medications designed to inhibit
proteins, genes, and pathways unique to cancerous
cells - Can help fight or delay progression of the
disease - Still new to the market and clinical trials
- Availability depends on type of cancer
45Molecular Targeted Therapy (contd)
- Usually used in combination with traditional
therapies - Fewer side effects than other options
- Diarrhea
- Skin rash
- Fatigue
46References and Resources
- American Cancer Society. Treatment types.
Available at - http//www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideE
ffects/TreatmentTypes/index. Accessed February
23, 2012. - For more references and resources on cancer,
visit the Oncology Center at http//rd411.com/.