Cancer Therapy & Radiation Oncology

There are more than 200 types of cancer, including Breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, Prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Symptoms and Treatment varies depending on the type of Cancer. Some people with cancer will have only one treatment. But most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The Anticancer therapies include Surgical therapy, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant therapy, Neoadjuvant therapy, Palliative therapy, Immunotherapy, Hormonal therapy, Radiotherapy, Nutritional therapy, Phototherapy. Phototherapy / proton beam therapy is the most advanced among all the therapies. All Anticancer agents act by disturbing cell multiplication or normal functioning, DNA synthesis or chromosomal migration, and by blocking or changing RNA and protein metabolism. There are various techniques used in the treating the cancers such as various surgeries were used to done for the treating or removing the cancer cells. Various therapies has been followed by the implementation of the new drug by clinical trials results , or by passing the cell under some radiations or radioactive waves or by taking some sort of medicine or dealing with the alteration in the genetic material or by some sort of particular organ transplant.

Cancer can occur anywhere in the body. The most common sites of cancer among men include lung, prostate, colon, rectum, stomach and liver. And those for among women are breast, colon, rectum, lung, cervix and stomach. Cancers are often described by the body part that they originated in. However, some body parts contain multiple types of tissue, so for greater precision, cancers can additionally be classified by the type of cell that the tumour cells originated from. The type of cancer a person has needed to be known properly as different types of cancer can behave very differently and respond to different treatments. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death all over the world. Organ Specific Cancers are cancers named based on the location of cancer in the body organ. Its incidence is showing an increasing trend in various parts of the earth and has been a significant public health problem despite advances in the understanding of the molecular and cellular events that underlie.

Cancer Science is a medical field that covers every branch of cancer research and therapy. Cancer was considered as deadly disease few years ago, but now the development has changed thanks to advances made in the cancer field. There are diverse therapies available now to treat and diagnose cancer. The Targeted Cancer Therapy is one of the best therapies available, in which the cancer cells are treated by targeting and inhibiting specific molecules that are responsible for tumor progression. This blocking can be done by medicine. The Cancer Case Reports shows that Stem Cell Therapy is also an effective treatment for cancer. Cancer biomarkers assist in finding tumor cells and treating them. Tumor Immunology plays an important role in verdict of new approaches for cancer therapeutics.

A cancer biomarker refers to an element or procedure that is indicative of the presence of cancer in the body. A biomarker may be a molecule released by a presence of tumour or a specific response of the body to the presence of cancer. Cancer biomarkers are usually biological molecules found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues that are a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or of a condition or disease. Genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, glycomic, and imaging biomarkers can be used for cancer diagnosis, prognosis and epidemiology. The most promising use of biomarkers today is to identify which therapies a patient’s cancer may or may not respond to. So many pharmaceutical companies were producing different sort of biomarkers. So, it plays a vital role in the treatment in cancer.

Diagnostics plays an important role throughout Cancer treatment. Before treatment, to accurately locate Tumors, stage the disease, and determine an appropriate combination of cancer treatments. Diagnostics are used to track the size of the tumor, progression of the disease, and patient response to treatment, and modify your treatment accordingly. To confirm the diagnosis of most cancers, a Biopsy needs is to be performed in which a tissue sample is removed from the suspected tumour which occurred initially and studied under a microscope for detecting cancer cells. Endoscopy can be done by inserting a flexible plastic tube with a tiny camera into body cavities or organs. Screening tests are used to detect the possibility of a cancer which is present before symptoms occur. To identify cancer at its initial stage, different types of cancer diagnostic tests are used to Screen at-risk individuals, Monitor treatment efficacy and disease progression or recurrence, Predict prognosis and direct treatment, Screen an asymptomatic population for the early detection of cancer, Earlier detection and treatment subsequently decreases cancer mortality, Diagnose a primary cancer and identify the cancer subtype after complete cancer treatment, to monitor for any signs of metastasis or recurrence.

The branch of Oncology dealing with Radiation therapy is termed as Radiation Oncology. Radiation oncology is a medical arena that involves the controlled use of radiation to treat cancer either for cure or to reduce pain and symptoms caused by cancer. Radiation Oncology encompasses all aspects of research that impacts on the treatment of cancer using radiation. Radiation can be given as a curative modality, either alone or in combination with surgery or chemotherapy. It may also be used palliatively, to relieve symptoms in patients with incurable cancers. The Radiation therapy and/or radiotherapy are broadly segmented into Brachy-radiotherapy, Teleradiotherapy and Metabolic Radiotherapy. There are three unique Radiology specialist professions which are involved in practice of radiation oncology 1. Radiation Oncologists 2. Radiation Therapists 3. Radiation Oncology Medical Physicists. These highly trained medical specialists who use advanced technologies on Cancer patients to deliver safe and effective radiation therapy with few side effects as possible.

Use of Radiation to kill diseased cells has become a standard treatment option for a wide range of malignancies. It utilizes X-rays, gamma rays, electron beams or protons to treat cancer. Radiotherapy can be used in three modalities: – Curative radiotherapy; Adjuvant radiotherapy and Palliative radiotherapy. Among all the available Anti-cancer therapies, Radiation therapy is the most conventional method of treating Cancers. Success depends on early diagnosis, the volume and histological nature of the tumor. Techniques in Radiation therapy include  Triggered imaging radiosurgery, Gamma Knife surgery, Medical dosimetry, Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy, Brachytherapy, External Beam Radiation Therapy, Image-Guided Radiotherapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, radioisotope therapy, Stereotactic body radiation therapy, Total Body Irradiation, and Total Skin Irradiation. 

Nuclear medicine is a department of medicine that makes use of radiation to provide information approximately the functioning of a person's unique organs or to deal with sickness along with the utilization of radioactive materials within the finding and treatment of sickness. It is known as nuclide imaging. Diagnostic techniques in nuclear medicinal drug use radioactive tracers which emit gamma rays from within the body. The gamma camera builds up an image from the factors where the radiation is emitted. This image is enhanced by a computer and viewed by a physician on a monitor for indications of abnormal conditions.  Single photon emission computed tomography SPECT and Positron Emission Tomography or PET scans are the 2 most common imaging modalities in nuclear medicine. It is used in diagnosis of Huntington, Alzheimer, Parkinson diseases, brain perfusion, myocardial perfusion, tumour detection or metastases.

Medical imaging is the technique and process of creating visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues. Imaging technologies include X-ray imaging, Computed tomography, Planar scintigraphy, Imaging modalities, Emission tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Multimodal systems. It helps in diagnosis of Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Neurological disorders (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and in drug development via small animal imaging with micro PET or micro SPECT, micro CT, micro MRI, bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging systems.

Cancer chemotherapy involves the selection of drugs and dose levels, which will eradicate disseminated cancer cells, without causing severe host toxicity. Depending on the primary location and the extension of the disease, chemotherapy can be curative or palliative. In the majority of cases, Chemotherapy leads to the prolongation of survival, and in other cases it results in the eradication of the disease. Chemotherapy can be in most cases a major adjuvant to surgical therapy and/or radiotherapy. It is most successful against Leukemias. Mechanism-based approaches have also been explored for several decades. About 30 chemotherapeutic drugs are in regular use in the treatment of cancer till date. All Antitumor drugs may be placed into one of three classes based on the relationship of the effect to the mitotic cycle of the cell:

1. Cell cycle active, phase specific

2. Cell cycle active, phase non-specific

3. Non-cell cycle active.

Cancers immunology is a branch of immunology that describes about the research interactions among the immune system and cancer cells. Its field of study that goals to find out cancer immunotherapies to deal with and retard progression of the Disease. Cancer immunotherapy additionally called immuno-oncology is using the immune device to treat cancer. Immunology may be categorized as active, passive or hybrid (active and passive). The immune response, along with the recognition of most cancers-specific antigens, forms the basis of targeted therapy (along with vaccines and antibody procedures) and tumour marker-based diagnostic tests.

Cancer Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or a condition. Stem Cells and Tumours cancer cells also have the characteristic which is also associated with normal stems cells. Stems cells transplant is used for the treatment of cancer like leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Additionally, stem cells can be applied in regenerative medicine, cancer stem cell-targeted therapy, immunotherapy and anticancer drug screening applications. However, while using stem cells to treat human cancers appears technically feasible, challenges such as treatment durability and tumorigenesis necessitate further study to improve therapeutic applicability and performance.

Cancer Epidemiology is a branch of science that deals with factors affecting cancer, to infer possible trends and causes, the cancer distribution, incidence and prevention of disease and other factors related to health. The goal is to identify the major risk factors they may lead to effective preventive measures to identify and develop improved treatments. It represents the study of factors responsible that are for the initiation, metastasis and prognosis of various types of cancer to identify events that increase or decrease cancer incidence in specific populations. Epidemiological research findings on cancer lead to the formulation of suitable therapeutic treatment methods and preventive medicines for cancer.

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by changes in certain genes that control the way of our cells function particularly how they develop and divide. Genes carry the guiding principle to make proteins, which do much of the work in our cells. Certain changes in gene can cause cells to evade normal development control and become cancer. Few cancer-causing gene changes increase production of a protein that makes cells grow. Others result in the production of a misshapen, and therefore non-functional, form of a protein that normally repairs cellular damage.

Research on nanotechnology most cancers therapy extends beyond drug transport into the advent of latest therapeutics available best via use of nanomaterial houses. Even though nano particles are small as compared to cells, nanoparticles are massive sufficient to encapsulate many small molecule compounds, which can be of a couple of kinds. On the equal time, the extraordinarily large floor place of nanoparticle can be functionalized with ligands, together with small molecules, DNA or RNA strands, peptides, aptamers or antibodies. These ligands may be used for healing impact or to direct nanoparticle destiny in vivo. These properties permit aggregate drug delivery, multi-modality treatment and mixed healing and diagnostic, referred to as “Theranostic,” motion. The physical properties of nanoparticles, together with electricity absorption and re-radiation, can also be used to disrupt diseased tissue, as in laser ablation and hyperthermia programs

Cancer or its treatment can lower your resistance to infection and make you more likely to catch the other diseases. There are many different types of cancer drugs. Some drugs can treat cancer and the others help to relieve symptoms such as pain and sickness. The type of drugs you need to use for cure of your cancer depends on what type of cancer you have. Drug therapies work in diverse ways to destroy cancer cells and stop them from spreading or slow down their development. Anticancer drugs or anticancer agents are used in Cancer. Drugs may also be used to reduce or relieve side effects of cancer and its treatment.

Cancer Vaccines typically either treats existing cancer or prevents development of a cancer. The drug is useful in treating the cancer. It’s been classified into many categories which incorporates natural product, alkylating agents, hormones, antimetabolites. Cancer treatment vaccines are created of cancer cells, elements of cells, or pure antigens. Typically a patient’s own immune cells are removed and exposed to those substances within the research laboratory to make the vaccines. Therapeutic vaccines represent a viable possibility for active therapy of cancers that aim to treat late stage of cancer by employing a patient's own system.

Cancer Alternative Medicine includes Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which are generally non-mainstream practices. Recently Cancer Alternative Medicine therapies are gaining importance in managing adverse symptoms of Cancer. If a non-mainstream treatment is used together with conventional medicine, it’s considered as “Complementary treatment.” If a non-mainstream treatment is used in place of conventional medicine, it’s considered as “Alternative treatment.” Cancer Alternative Medicine consists of treatments that are based on prescientific concepts of human pathology and physiology. Most people who use non-mainstream approaches use them along with conventional treatments. Cancer Alternative Medicine therapies include a varied variety of nutritional products, such as and botanicals dietary supplements, vitamins and herbal supplements

Oncology nursing is an area involving the roles of direct caregiver, educator, consultant, administrator and researcher. oncology and cancer nursing extends to all care delivery settings in which clients experiencing or at hazard for developing most cancers acquire health care, schooling, and counselling for cancer prevention, screening and detection. It additionally entails appropriate screenings and other preventative practices, symptom management, care to preserve as much normal functioning as viable, and supportive measures upon give up of lifestyles. Oncology nursing is a multi-disciplinary team, in a diffusion of settings, from the inpatient ward, to the bone marrow transplant unit, through the network. Oncology nurses frequently serve as your first line of communication and help coordinate the numerous factors of your care at some stage in most cancers remedy. They will carry out several obligations. An oncology nurse gives deal with maximum cancers patients and those at threat for purchasing the ailment. Oncology nurses should control the signs and symptoms of an affected individual’s illness and the issue results of diverse most cancers remedies. They screen bodily conditions, prescribe medication, and administer chemotherapy and unique treatments.

Clinical Oncology includes full spectrum of Nonsurgical Cancers including the Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy, Palliative care and Biological targeted therapy. Clinical oncologists treat Solid tumors with Conventional Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy, Brachytherapy, Biological therapy, Molecular targeted therapy and sometimes with multimodality treatments that include the combination of two or more Anti-cancer therapies. Clinical oncologists determine treatment by considering a range of factors including tumor type, the site of the tumor, the stage of the disease and the patient’s general health. They then assess the relative merits of different treatments before presenting these to the patient so that an informed decision can be made. The branch also includes the study of Cancer staging, Cancer epidemiology, Brachytherapy, Cancer biostatistics etc. 

Among all Anti-cancer therapies, treatment of Cancer by surgery remains a basic method for oncology. Surgery is used to diagnose stage and treat cancer and certain cancer-related symptoms. Surgical oncology is the branch of Oncology that deals with the surgical aspects of cancer including biopsy, cancer staging, and surgical resection of tumors it focuses on the surgical management of tumors, especially cancerous tumors. Surgical oncology is a specialized area of oncology that engages surgeons in the cure and management of cancer. Whether a patient is a candidate for surgery depends on factors such as the type, size, location, grade and stage of the tumor, as well as general health factors such as age, physical fitness and other medical comorbidities. For many patients, surgery will be combined with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy or hormone therapy

Cancer prevention is outlined as active measures to decrease the danger of cancer. Most of cancer causes because of environmental risk factors of those environmental factors are governable way decisions. A personality's risk of developing cancer is considerably reduced by healthy behavior. Cancer prevention analysis includes diagnosing, clinical and change of location analysis with special attention given to molecular discoveries and a stress on building a change of Location Bridge between the fundamental and clinical sciences.

Cancer has a diversified nature in relation to the organ specificity. Most cancers are a group of more than a hundred diseases that expand throughout time in any of the body’s tissues. Each type of cancer has its capabilities; the simple procedures that produce most cancers are pretty comparable in all sorts of the diseases. A case record is the specified document of signs and symptoms, prognosis, remedies of the unique sufferers of positive clinical records with unique healing strategies. As about 7.6 million of latest instances of malignancy documented every year, 1/2 of them are from developing countries. Case reports want to be up to date from all the statistics from the beyond.