CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery - A Giant Leap in Cancer Treatment

The name "CyberKnife" is actually a bit of a misnomer, there are no knives in sight! However, it does allow the ablative treatment of tumours (hence "knife") to be performed painlessly and effectively without the need for an operation by a robotic (hence "cyber") linear accelerator (radiotherapy machine)

Conventional radiotherapy uses large field sizes and just a few radiation beams to treat 'regions' in the body, which means the dose given to the tumour is often limited by the radiation tolerance of the surrounding normal tissues. The latest chemotherapy and 'magic bullet' drugs have been a small step forward, but they have side effects and have generally not lived up to the hype.

Tumours are chaotic, and tend to wrap themselves around, or are close to other vital tissues. This means that the surgeon's skills can be stretched to the limit, or the use of conventional radiotherapy would damage too much healthy tissue. Cancer radiation oncologists need a clear image of the exact location of the tumour (with all its irregularities) so that the delivery of radiation can be accurately pinpointed to these parts, and these parts alone. This is where CyberKnife® comes in.

What can CyberKnife® treat?

The treatment is so accurate that it is now possible to treat tumours previously thought to be untreatable. Although the results of treatment do not always show immediately, in most cases the procedure will initially stop the growth of tumours before gradually reducing their size.

As there is no open surgery, the complications normally associated with an operation are eliminated, as is the need for a long recovery time. This makes treatment suitable for those who are not well enough to cope with the side-effects of surgery and most patients leave the clinic the same day as their treatment.

Major operations such as lung and liver resections, removal of pancreas and prostatectomy now have a viable alternative option with this technique.

The future

The potential for this form of instrumentation is incredible, and the next few years will see some exciting new developments in cancer treatment. Trials are now well underway including a study of CyberKnife® compared with conventional surgery for stage 1 or 2 lung cancer. CyberKnife® is being tested in functional brain disorders such as epilepsy and Parkinsons' Disease, and there are plans to extend the application of the therapy to correct electrical disturbances in the heart (as an alternative to catheter ablation). CyberKnife® is also being trialled in early breast cancer.

About the author
Dr Andrew Gaya is a consultant clinical oncologist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Harley Street Clinic. He specialises in the treatment of solid tumours using chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and biological therapies.

About totalhealth
totalhealth provides authoritative medical information in plain English. Including more articles on Cyberknife surgery.

(c) Copyright - Total Health World Ltd

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Weight Loss And Cancer: Aggressive Treatment Saves Lives And Improves Quality Of Life

Weight loss from cancer is a major issue in our day to day practice. Half of all cancer patients face significant weight loss. The type of cancer related weight loss that I am alluding to is known as cancer cachexia where the weight loss is involuntary, debilitating and associated with severe muscle wasting. This has a major impact on quality of life and nearly 20% of cancer deaths is attributed to weight loss and not directly to Cancer..

The Meaning of words:

Anorexia: Reduced appetite or the reduced desire to eat. Anorexia is present in 15 percent to 25 percent of all cancer patients at the time of diagnosis.

Cachexia: The net result which is seen as severe weight loss, muscle loss, and general weakness.

Most patients with cancer have both Anorexia and Cachexia. There are some who have a great appetite but continue to lose weight. Some of my patients tell me.."But doc..I don't understand, I am eating well but continue to lose weight...". The reason for this is simple, such patients are just burning up more calories than they are able to replace by eating.

Why is it important to recognize and take action when you see weight loss in cancer patients?

Patients who stop losing weight feel better, have a better quality of life, improve their immunity, reduce their chance of infections, keep their energy level and strength up so that they can better tolerate treatment and have an increased ability to recover and heal quickly.

Reasons for weight loss in Cancer:

1. The diversion of nutrients to the cancers cells and away from normal tissues and organs. It is very similar to a parasite within the body that feeds off any food that is taken in.

2. Cancers secrete chemicals that significantly reduces protein production and increases their breakdown. Muscle wasting and weight loss is the inevitable outcome.

3. Side effects of Treatment: mouth sores, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pain, depression and anxiety. Cancer medications may cause patients to taste and smell foods different.

4. Direct result of cancer: Cancers of the mouth, esophagus and stomach may produce physical pain and obstruction that causes the patients not able to eat and swallow foods resulting in malnutrition.

How do you recognize cancer related weight loss?

Many times, this is very obvious and is verbalized by the patient. However, early signs of such a situation can be recognized when patients lose more than 5 % of their body weight in the prior 6 months involuntarily.

Treatment of Cancer Related Weight Loss:

A. Treat Side effects of treatment aggressively. Such conditions as mouth sores, dry mouth etc with medications.

B. Treat the direct effects of cancer with anti cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as surgery. Placement of a feeding tube into the stomach is utilized for those patients who have issues with swallowing and physical problems in eating.

C. Treating Anorexia and Cachexia with:

1. Megestrol in the form of Megace solution is known to increase muscle mass in patients with cancer.

2. Dronabinol and Marinol are FDA-approved forms of marijuana that can help stimulate the appetite.

3. Steroids such as Dexamethasone.

4. Fish oil. Numerous studies have reported the benefits of fish oil supplementation. Recent studies have demonstrated their beneficial effects in correcting weight loss and anorexia from cancer and its treatment.

In summary, weight loss in cancer patients is a situation that is not adequately recognized and treated by patients and their care givers. My contention is that, aggressively addressing this issue can have a major impact on the life of our patients. We can not only improve their overall quality of life but also possibly achieve better cure rates since these patients may be able to better tolerate more aggressive therapy.

Dr. Kumar is a board certified Radiation Oncologist who is co-founder of a private practice group called Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology in Saint Lucie County, Florida. He has over 17 years experience dealing with cancer patients including several members in his own family who have been afflicted by this disease.

His philosophy of managing patients is through a unique holistic approach that takes into account the wishes and needs of patients and their families. Education in simple language allows the patients to make the right decision when it comes to their cancer care. He believes that any battle is won at the level of the mind first before the body goes into action to win the war. His website http://curingcancerofthemind.com/ reflects this philosophy. He is always available to help any patient with questions regarding cancer and radiation therapy and can be reached at 772 293 0377.

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Options to Battle the Side Effects of Chemotherapy Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment often times leave cancer patients with side-effects that severely impact various aspects of their quality of life. In this post, we'll touch upon some of the dietary, physical and social options available to battle the side-effects induced by chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatment.

Dietary Side Effects

Loss in appetite is a common side-effect experienced by patients who undergo chemotherapy. This loss in appetite results in a decreased protein and nutrient intake making the patient's road to recovery more difficult. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer patients complain that certain foods like meat may be bitter or taste metallic. A patient's sense of smell may also be affected due to chemo treatment attacking healthy cells as well as diseased cells. Usually, these changes in sense of taste or smell will return to normal once treatment ends.

With the body already in a weakened state, caregivers will need to make sure patients not only eat their meals but also eat the "right" types of foods. A few recommended ways to combat the change in sense of taste or smell by the National Cancer Institute are the following:

Choose foods that look and smell goodMarinate foods with fruit juices, wine, salad dressing and other spicesTry tart foods and drinksMake foods sweeterEat with plastic utensils rather than metal onesDiscuss meal and options with a dietician

To battle appetite loss, other suggested methods include:

Eat smaller meals, but more frequentlyDrink liquids throughout the dayDrink a liquid or powdered replacementHave easy-to-carry snacks readily available

Eating and getting the necessary amount of nutrition is extremely important for patients during the recovery and healing process.

Physical Side Effects

As part of chemo and radiation treatment therapy, most patients experience side-effects which affect their physical appearance, leaving them feeling depressed. Common physical side-effects include discolored or burnt skin, loss of eyebrows, hair follicles and acne. Fortunately, organizations like Look Good...Feel Better, a 501c3 non-profit organization, aim to help women cope with these terrible side effects. They understand that self-image and physical appearance have a direct impact on the patient's self-esteem and in turns hinders the recovery process. The organization offers over 14,500 group workshops nationwide in more than 3,000 locations where beauty professional volunteers teach women beauty techniques to help them manage the appearance-related side effects.

Other institutions like DNI International offer reconstructive cosmetic products and services available to cancer patients at select institutions. David Nicholas and David Miranowicz, co-presidents of DNI International, empathize with patients on how a decreased physical appearance is directly linked to a lower quality of life. "Chemotherapy can yellow the skin; they often lose their eyebrows and eyelashes, and radiation burns the skin. But with some education, we can empower them to soften the effects of those treatments, and they can feel more like themselves again...which makes them feel better." DNI's user-friendly reconstructive cosmetic makeup products are available to cancer patients in the Rowley, MA and Massachusetts General Hospital-Oncology Unit.

Social and Emotional Side Effects

Newly diagnosed cancer patients and families may also experience role changes. Cancer patients, who were originally extremely independent pre-cancer, will now inevitably become more dependent on their family and loved ones. Patients are also likely to experience feelings of anxiety, depression, frustration, and hopelessness. Cancer survivors like Bill Gasperson stress the importance of joining support groups and that the larger the patient's support group is the better. Support groups offer several benefits, some which include:

Learning tips and resources through sharing among peersConnecting with cancer survivors and coaches for strength and encouragementFinding inspiration through patient empowermentIdentifying the right questions across various stages in the diseaseCompanionship - rediscovering the ability to laugh despite the disease

A strong social support network most importantly provides the patient with the emotional support to help battle the hurdles of this terrible disease. Cancer survivors have stressed that perhaps the most important emotional support is needed when they experienced disease recurrence.

We hope this post was helpful and would love to hear some of your own lessons learned.

Pulse of the Patient is an online cancer support community that is driven entirely by patients rather than by physicians, with a primary goal to improve cancer patients' quality of life and care through knowledge-sharing based on the principle of "If I Knew Then, What I Know Now...". We are the quality of life site for anyone touched by cancer. Please visit our blog at: Our Blog.

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Cancer Drug Treatment - PARP Inhibitors

Very soon an universal drug to treat all type of cancerous tumors may be developed. Scientists have claimed a breakthrough in turning a breast cancer to a medicine that treat all types of cancerous tumors. The focus is on cancer drug therapy based on class of pharmaceuticals called PARP inhibitors. PARP stands for Poly ADP ribose polymerase is a protein molecule which plays an active role in various cellular processes, DNA repair and programmed cell death. PARP inhibitors are particularly effective in treating hereditary breast cancers. PARP inhibitors have the ability to zero in on rouge cells and tumors and kill them selectively without harming the healthy cells. This also means that the side effects that is normally associated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy is very minimal with this type of pharmaceuticals.

In those prone to or with hereditary form of breast cancer there is mutation or flaw in the genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. BRCA1 is a gene that produces a type of proteins called breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein. They are normally expressed in the cells of breast and some other organs. Whenever there is a damage to DNA of the cells in these organs BRCA1 immediately repairs this DNA damage or if it cannot be repaired it kills the cells. Thus cancerous tumors are killed at the very early stage itself. The function of BRCA2 gene too is more or less similar though the molecular structure is different. BRCA2 stands for Breast Cancer 2 susceptibility protein. It's main function is to repair the chromosomal damage and fix the breaks in the DNA structure. Thus it can be seen that proper functioning of these two genes are very important to protect us against breast cancer. Whenever there is a flaw in these two genes which is mainly due to hereditary reasons the person is at a huge risk of contracting breast cancer.

In breast cancer tumors with BRCA mutation drugs that inhibit Poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors cause double strand break in the cells. Because of BRCA deficiency these cannot be repaired. This leads to the death of cancerous cells. Normal cells do not replicate the way cancer cells do so the normal cells are not affected by PARP inhibitors.

The same principle is applied by scientists to use PARP inhibitors to treat tumors which do not have this genetic flaw but by artificially inducing such a genetic flaw. CDK1 or Cyclin dependent kinase 1 is a protein that is very vital in maintaining normal cell cycle process. It repairs any damage to the DNA of the cells. By blocking the CDK1 molecule the tumors are deprived of the DNA repair mechanism. When the subject is given PARP inhibitors the cancerous tumor was successfully shrunk. Scientists have effectively treated lung cancer in rats using this method.

Shilajit Life Prolonger.

Shilajit Elixir Of Life. The closely guarded secret of Indian yogis. http://www.rudramani.com/

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Weight Loss And Cancer: Aggressive Treatment Saves Lives And Improves Quality Of Life

Weight loss from cancer is a major issue in our day to day practice. Half of all cancer patients face significant weight loss. The type of cancer related weight loss that I am alluding to is known as cancer cachexia where the weight loss is involuntary, debilitating and associated with severe muscle wasting. This has a major impact on quality of life and nearly 20% of cancer deaths is attributed to weight loss and not directly to Cancer..

The Meaning of words:

Anorexia: Reduced appetite or the reduced desire to eat. Anorexia is present in 15 percent to 25 percent of all cancer patients at the time of diagnosis.

Cachexia: The net result which is seen as severe weight loss, muscle loss, and general weakness.

Most patients with cancer have both Anorexia and Cachexia. There are some who have a great appetite but continue to lose weight. Some of my patients tell me.."But doc..I don't understand, I am eating well but continue to lose weight...". The reason for this is simple, such patients are just burning up more calories than they are able to replace by eating.

Why is it important to recognize and take action when you see weight loss in cancer patients?

Patients who stop losing weight feel better, have a better quality of life, improve their immunity, reduce their chance of infections, keep their energy level and strength up so that they can better tolerate treatment and have an increased ability to recover and heal quickly.

Reasons for weight loss in Cancer:

1. The diversion of nutrients to the cancers cells and away from normal tissues and organs. It is very similar to a parasite within the body that feeds off any food that is taken in.

2. Cancers secrete chemicals that significantly reduces protein production and increases their breakdown. Muscle wasting and weight loss is the inevitable outcome.

3. Side effects of Treatment: mouth sores, dry mouth, trouble swallowing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, pain, depression and anxiety. Cancer medications may cause patients to taste and smell foods different.

4. Direct result of cancer: Cancers of the mouth, esophagus and stomach may produce physical pain and obstruction that causes the patients not able to eat and swallow foods resulting in malnutrition.

How do you recognize cancer related weight loss?

Many times, this is very obvious and is verbalized by the patient. However, early signs of such a situation can be recognized when patients lose more than 5 % of their body weight in the prior 6 months involuntarily.

Treatment of Cancer Related Weight Loss:

A. Treat Side effects of treatment aggressively. Such conditions as mouth sores, dry mouth etc with medications.

B. Treat the direct effects of cancer with anti cancer treatment such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as surgery. Placement of a feeding tube into the stomach is utilized for those patients who have issues with swallowing and physical problems in eating.

C. Treating Anorexia and Cachexia with:

1. Megestrol in the form of Megace solution is known to increase muscle mass in patients with cancer.

2. Dronabinol and Marinol are FDA-approved forms of marijuana that can help stimulate the appetite.

3. Steroids such as Dexamethasone.

4. Fish oil. Numerous studies have reported the benefits of fish oil supplementation. Recent studies have demonstrated their beneficial effects in correcting weight loss and anorexia from cancer and its treatment.

In summary, weight loss in cancer patients is a situation that is not adequately recognized and treated by patients and their care givers. My contention is that, aggressively addressing this issue can have a major impact on the life of our patients. We can not only improve their overall quality of life but also possibly achieve better cure rates since these patients may be able to better tolerate more aggressive therapy.

Dr. Kumar is a board certified Radiation Oncologist who is co-founder of a private practice group called Coastal Cyberknife and Radiation Oncology in Saint Lucie County, Florida. He has over 17 years experience dealing with cancer patients including several members in his own family who have been afflicted by this disease.

His philosophy of managing patients is through a unique holistic approach that takes into account the wishes and needs of patients and their families. Education in simple language allows the patients to make the right decision when it comes to their cancer care. He believes that any battle is won at the level of the mind first before the body goes into action to win the war. His website http://curingcancerofthemind.com/ reflects this philosophy. He is always available to help any patient with questions regarding cancer and radiation therapy and can be reached at 772 293 0377.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ramesh_T_Kumar

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