Cancer treatment is sometimes problematic. Sometimes, given the current inability of science to cure more aggressive cancers in advanced stages of evolution, it is preferable to give up curative treatment and palliative treatment applied to provide the least possible discomfort and lead to a dignified death. In such cases the emotional support becomes paramount.
Cancer treatment currently provided (in the early twenty-first century) science is based on three pillars: surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. There is a fourth pillar called biological therapy include hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and new non-cytotoxic therapeutic targets.
Cancer treatment is multidisciplinary where cooperation between different professionals involved (surgeons, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists), is of utmost importance for planning the same, not forgetting the patient’s informed consent. At all times, emotional support is essential.
The treatment plan must be defined if the intent is curative or palliative.
Treatment response may be:
* Complete: If there was the disappearance of all signs and symptoms of the disease.
* Partial: If there is a greater than 50% decrease in the sum of the products of perpendicular diameters of all measurable lesions.
* Objective: The complete or partial response.
* Progression: If there exists any new lesion or an increase greater than 25% of the sum of the products of perpendicular diameters of all measurable lesions.
* Stable: If there is tumor growth or reduction which satisfies none of the above criteria.
When it is not possible to measure the lesions, tumor markers are useful to assess response to treatment.
Tags: Cancer Treatment, Death, Radiation oncologists, Surgeons
