Additional methods of treating cancer.
Treatment is aimed at to cure the disease or slow its progress. It is use a combination of operative treatment methods, radiation and chemotherapy, as well as hormonal and immunotherapy. If there are no signs of cancer, they say that the patient is in remission. In general, patients who show no cancer within five years or more are considered cured. Some cancers cannot be cured, but can be treated, and in most cases, the patient’s condition improves.
Cancer treatment is accompanied by a maintenance treatment by nurses and other staff. Its purpose is to relieve pain and other symptoms, maintain general health, and provide psychological support to patients and their families. In general supportive care is provided by the extensive resources of cancer centers.
Exercise helps to control fatigue, muscle tension and anxiety in cancer patients. Usually, patients feel better when performing exercises such as walking or swimming that calms and strengthens the body.
Some treatments that use the power of thought to influence health, improve the quality of life for patients with cancer through behavior modification or expression of emotions. Behavioral therapy, such as managed mental imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis therapy, and biofeedback is used to relieve pain, nausea, vomiting and anxiety that may occur in anticipation of or after treatments.
Scientific evidence suggests that diet may play a role in cancer prevention; however, diet has not helped to slow the disease or reverse cancer. Researchers are interested in antioxidants – vitamins A (beta-carotene in particular), C, E and selenium are also studying folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, coenzyme Q10 and phytonutrients (substances that are in the food, and possibly prevent cancer).
Acupuncture and acupressure is a great example of an “additional” treatment of cancer. Although they do not claim to cure cancer, the evidence that they help reduce symptoms and side effects of treatment.
Homeopathic substances ease nausea; relieve fatigue and anxiety caused by cancer and its treatment. While some people believe that homeopathic remedies are just as “placebo”, there is evidence that the use of homeopathic remedies reinforces the sense of self-control patients and reduces the severity of symptoms. Homeopathic remedies are safe and have no side effects and are dangerous only if they use standard treatment delays.
With a strong social support can even keep the disease in remission by stimulating the production of more killer cells. Support for friends and family to help cope with depression, fear and anxiety that accompany a serious illness like cancer. In some cases, strong support can even affect the life expectancy of cancer patients.
Biological therapy
Biological therapy – is a relatively new method of treating cancer. Biological therapy uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer and alleviate side effects caused by certain types of cancer treatment. There are several types of biological therapy: treatment with monoclonal antibodies, inhibitors of cancer development, gene and vaccine therapy.
Monoclonal antibodies – are drugs that can detect and locate the body in certain cells. They seek out a particular type of cancer cell attached to it and destroy it. In their structure may be a radioactive molecule that will direct the radiation directly to cancer cells. Inhibitors prevent the development of a cancer tumor cells to use “chemical informant”, they need to divide and develop. Now, studies of gene and vaccine therapy. Scientists are finding out may I use them for relapsed cancer or cancer that metastasized.
Biological therapy can be used: to stop, control or suppress processes that allow cancer to develop; to make cancer cells more recognizable, so they will better resist the destruction of the immune system; to enhance the ability to destroy the “alien” organisms; to block or reverse the process, which alters the normal or precancerous cell into a cancer; to enhance the body’s ability to repair or replacement of normal cells damaged or destroyed by other methods of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation treatment; to prevent the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body.
Like other forms of cancer treatment, biological therapies can cause some side effects that are very diverse, depending on the active substance and the patient. At the site of a biological response modifiers may appear rash, or swelling. Some of the biological response modifiers, including interferon and interleukins, may cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Some biological response modifiers typically cause fatigue. Also may be disrupted blood pressure.
Thus biological therapy is designed to restore, enhance or stimulate the immune system.