Medications are the mainstay of treatment for those cancers
that by their nature or because they have spread, cannot be removed surgically
or eliminated with radiation. Medical
treatments are also often added to surgery or radiation to kill the few cancer
cells that may have escaped and reduce the chance of cancer coming back. The broad trends that are driving research
into new medications for cancer include:
·
New
chemotherapy drugs and combinations of drugs
·
New
ways to manipulate the hormones that drive certain cancers (primarily breast
and prostate cancer)
·
More
specific and targeted therapies that are sometimes referred to as “smart
bombs.” These types of treatments are
designed to attack very specific mechanisms that drive cancer growth and
spread. A variety of technologies make
targeted therapy possible. Some are artificial antibodies, synthetic small chemical molecules, and
gene-directed therapies
·
Harnessing
the immune system to fight cancer
·
All
cancer therapy is likely to become more personalized (individualized) with
treatments selected to match each person’s unique cancer.
We welcome your questions or comments about our posts! Tom and Larry
ReplyDeleteI am excited and grateful for this blog to begin! Offering text and a forum for those struggling with a cancer dx. is balm for the weary mind and soul. We are all touched by cancer in some way. Our culture does little to help with the terror that strikes the hearts of those who struggle with challenging illness. This blog, and book to come, are a welcome force; astute information presented in an unintimidating and empathic manner. I look forward to being a part of this venture!
ReplyDeleteDr Beer , I am so glad that you will be making information available in this way.
ReplyDeleteHow can I be sure to subscribe to this blog.
Dan
Dan,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear from you. There are several ways. You can become a member. Click the Join This Site button on the right just under the word FOLLOWERS. You will need to have a login and password with Google, Yahoo, Twitter, or one of several other online services to sign up. Joining would make you a full member of the community we hope to build through this blog.
Another way would be to just provide your email address in the SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL area and hit the Subscribe button. You won't be featured as a member that way, but both ways will result in an email being sent to you whenever we publish a new post. I won't be too overwhelming. We plan to post something new once or twice a week. The next post will appear tomorrow!
Welcome aboard
Dr Beer , I was able to subscribe and I look forward to being educated about new Cancer therapies and about clinical trial.
ReplyDeleteThank You for making this information available, after a M1b dx with high gs and psa in 2006 I have been stable for a long time with various HT , most notably 4 years with TDE following the protocol from your paper.I may be looking for clinical trials in the future, and I like to know what is out there.
Dan
Welcome Dan. Glad to have you in our online community
ReplyDelete