7 pain management options for cancer patients you might not know about
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize (spread) from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly the bones and lymph nodes. Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or erectile dysfunction. Other symptoms can potentially develop during later stages of the disease.
Rates of detection of prostate cancers vary widely across the world, with South and East Asia detecting less frequently than in Europe, and especially the United States. Prostate cancer tends to develop in men over the age of fifty and although it is one of the most prevalent types of cancer in men, many never have symptoms, undergo no therapy, and eventually die of other causes. This is because cancer of the prostate is, in most cases, slow-growing, symptom-free, and since men with the condition are older they often die of causes unrelated to the prostate cancer, such as heart/circulatory disease, pneumonia, other unconnected cancers, or old age. On the other hand, the more aggressive prostate cancers account for more cancer-related mortality than any other cancer except lung cancer. About two-thirds of cases are slow growing, the other third more aggressive and fast developing.
Many factors, including genetics and diet, have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. The presence of prostate cancer may be indicated by symptoms, physical examination, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), or biopsy. The PSA test increases cancer detection but does not decrease mortality. Moreover, prostate test screening is controversial at the moment and may lead to unnecessary, even harmful, consequences in some patients. Nonetheless, suspected prostate cancer is typically confirmed by taking a biopsy of the prostate and examining it under a microscope. Further tests, such as CT scans and bone scans, may be performed to determine whether prostate cancer has spread.
Management strategies for prostate cancer should be guided the severity of the disease. Many low-risk tumors can be safely followed with active surveillance. Curative treatment generally involves surgery, various forms of radiation therapy, or, less commonly, cryosurgery; hormonal therapy and chemotherapy are generally reserved for cases of advanced disease (although hormonal therapy may be given with radiation in some cases).
The age and underlying health of the man, the extent of metastasis, appearance under the microscope and response of the cancer to initial treatment are important in determining the outcome of the disease. The decision whether or not to treat localized prostate cancer (a tumor that is contained within the prostate) with curative intent is a patient trade-off between the expected beneficial and harmful effects in terms of patient survival and quality of life.
Gum Cancer: Symptoms, Treatment, And More
Gum cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs in your mouth. Early diagnosis is important to treat this cancer, and it may be curable with a combination of surgery and other treatments.
Gum cancer (gingival squamous cell carcinoma) is a rare type of cancer of the oral cavity.
Oral cancers can affect areas throughout your mouth as well as the back of your throat. Gum cancers develop within the tissues of your gums, rather than the lips, inner cheeks, or other parts of your mouth.
As a group, oral cancers make up about 3% of new cancer diagnoses each year. The majority of all gum cancers are squamous cell carcinomas and are considered rare.
The challenging part about gum cancer is that its early symptoms may mimic other diseases of your gums, including gingivitis. However, like other oral cancers, gum cancer is aggressive and tends to spread quickly.
This article reviews possible symptoms and causes of gum cancer, as well as treatment options you can discuss with a doctor.
Many of the symptoms of gum cancer are also seen in nonmalignant diseases of the gums and may potentially be ignored or misdiagnosed.
As a general rule, you should see a dentist or healthcare professional if any of the above symptoms last for longer than 2 weeks.
What to know about the stages of gum cancer
When gum cancer is caught in its earliest stages, it's known as carcinoma in situ. Carcinoma in situ affects the outer layers (epithelium) of your gum tissues only. Cancers that have metastasized beyond the epithelium to deeper tissues may be classified as invasive squamous cell cancer.
Another possibility is having gray or white lesions (leukoplakia) or red lesions (erythroplakia) that turn into cancer. While most leukoplakia cases do not develop into cancer, erythroplakia is more likely to become cancerous at a later point.
Gum cancer develops as a result of tumors that grow in your gum tissues. While there's no single known cause, certain risk factors can increase your risk of gum cancer and other oral cancers more generally. These include:
There may also be a genetic component to oral cancer development. Additionally, these cancers are about twice as common in males versus females.
If you have a history of tobacco use or other risk factors for gum cancer, a dentist may recommend monthly self-examinations of the inside of your mouth using a mirror. Any new lesions, pain, or bleeding in your mouth warrants further evaluation.
A prompt diagnosis is important in catching this aggressive cancer as soon as possible. One way is through your regular dental checkups. During a routine oral exam, a dental hygienist or dentist may notice possible signs of cancer on your gums.
Alternatively, you can see a dentist or a primary doctor if you're experiencing any possible symptoms of gum cancer. They will perform a quick oral cavity exam to look for signs of cancer around your gum area.
If a dentist or healthcare professional sees anything suspicious, they may conduct a biopsy or refer you to a specialist who can do so.
A biopsy must be done to confirm cancer. This involves taking a sample of the suspicious tissues in your gums and sending it to a lab. If you have a history of leukoplakia or erythroplakia, a doctor may also want to take a biopsy to rule out cancer.
Additionally, a doctor may use imaging tests to see if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or nearby bone. Imaging tests that may be used include:
When treating gum cancer, a doctor may recommend a combination of the following options:
Additionally, you may work with more than one doctor and specialist for gum cancer treatment. These include:
Surgery, along with adjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can help cure gum cancer. However, the exact outlook for gum cancer depends on multiple factors, including your age, the stage of cancer, and your individual response to treatment.
Like other types of oral cancers, gum cancer has a favorable outlook, especially when it's caught in its early stages and hasn't spread to other areas of the mouth or lymph nodes.
Gum cancer that has spread to more distant areas of the body has a poorer outlook because it's more difficult to treat.
Gum cancer is not as common as other types of oral cancers, but it may still develop in middle-aged to older adults. This is especially true for those who have a history of using tobacco products.
The good news is gum cancer is highly treatable when detected early. Surgery can help cure it in its early stages, although you may still need other treatments to make sure all the cancer cells are gone.
Regular dental exams can help catch gum cancer early. However, you should consider seeing a dentist or doctor at any point you experience unusual symptoms lasting for longer than a couple of weeks. These include painful, bleeding gums, or unexplained sores.
Bladder Cancer
Content
Bladder cancer is diagnosed by cystoscopy, a procedure in which the urologist passes a lighted telescope through the urethra into the bladder and looks directly at the inside lining of these structures. Through a cystoscope, a biopsy can be performed, and, frequently, if a tumor is found, it can be removed entirely.
A rectal examination in a male and a vaginal bimanual examination in a female may reveal a mass on the outside surface of the bladder.
Once the pathologist establishes the diagnosis of bladder cancer, additional tests are required, possibly including x-rays of the kidneys and bladder, ultrasound, and an X-ray exam of your urinary tract. Alternatively, a CT scan may be performed. An additional urine test called cytology will be performed. This method of detecting cancer cells under the microscope is very similar to a PAP smear for women.
If the cancer is invasive, spread to the lymph nodes and other organs must be evaluated.
Comments
Post a Comment