Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer develops when the body’s normal control mechanism stops working. Old cells do not die and instead grow out of control, forming new, abnormal cells. These extra cells may form a mass of tissue, called a tumor. Some cancers, such as leukemia, do not form tumors.
Some cancers are caused by the things people do or expose themselves to. For instance, tobacco usage can cause cancer of the lungs, mouth, throat, bladder, kidneys, and many other organs. Not everyone who uses tobacco will get cancer, but it can increase the risk. It can also increase the chances of developing heart and blood vessel disease.Too much sun exposure without sun protection can cause skin cancer called melanoma. Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer. It’s linked to UV lighting from the sun and tanning beds.
Other things people are exposed to
Radiation can cause cancer. For example, people who are exposed to nuclear fallout have a higher cancer risk than those who aren’t. Sometimes, radiation treatment for one type of cancer can cause another cancer to grow many years later. This is why doctors and dentists use the lowest possible doses of radiation for x-rays and scans (much lower than the doses used for cancer treatment).There are certain chemicals that have been linked to cancer. Being exposed to or working with these chemicals can increase a person’s risk of cancer.It’s a known myth that injuries can cause cancer.
Note: falls, bruises, broken bones, or other such injuries have not been linked to cancer. Rarely, a burn scar can be cancer, many years after the burn has healed. Most often, skin cancer is the type that starts in a burn scar.
Over 1.5 million new cancer cases are diagnosed every year. Anyone can get cancer and at any age, but the risk goes up age. Nine out of ten individuals who are 50 years old and older are diagnosed with cancer. Cancer can be found in all people, regardless of race and ethnicity, but the rate of cancer occurrence (incidence rate) varies from group to group.
The same cancer type in one individual is very different from that cancer in another individual. Within a single type of cancer, such as breast cancer, researchers are discovering subtypes that each requires a different treatment approach.
There’s no sure way to prevent cancer, but there are things you can do to help reduce your chances of getting it. Minimizing your intake of tobacco, alcohol, ultraviolet (UV) rays, and sunlight and eating a healthy diet.
Cancer treatment options depend on the type of cancer, the stage, if the cancer has spread and general health. The goal of treatment is to kill as many cancerous cells while reducing damage to normal cells nearby. Advances in technology make this possible.
There are three main treatments:
The same cancer type in one individual is very different from that cancer in another individual. Within a single type of cancer, such as breast cancer, researchers are discovering subtypes that each requires a different treatment approach.
Cancer may occur anywhere in the body. In women, breast cancer is one of the most common. In men, the most common is prostate cancer, in both men and women lung cancer and colorectal cancer affect in high numbers.
There are five main categories of cancer:
Screening means checking your body for cancer before you have symptoms. Getting screening tests regularly may find breast, cervical, and colorectal (colon) cancers early, when treatment is likely to work best. Lung cancer screening is recommended for some people who are at high risk.
Skin biopsy is performed in order to obtain tissue for further examination in the laboratory, typically through microscopy or tissue culture. Because of the relatively low risk of skin biopsy as compared with biopsy of other organs, and the ability to obtain a sample under simple local anesthesia, a skin biopsy can be safely and routinely performed in an outpatient or ambulatory setting in addition to the inpatient setting. The usual intent of skin biopsy is to further characterize the nature of a skin growth or eruption and assist in diagnosis by allowing histopathologic evaluation of a tissue sample.
A risk factor is anything linked to your chance of getting a disease, such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, skin exposing to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer, but it’s not linked to colon cancer. Some risk factors can actually cause cancer, while others may simply be more common in people who get cancer.Having one risk factor, or even many, does not mean someone will get cancer. Some people with one or more risk factors never develop the disease, while others who do develop cancer have no known risk factors. Even when a person who has a risk factor is diagnosed with cancer, there’s no way to prove the risk factor actually caused the cancer. There are different kinds of risk factors. Some, like a person’s age or race, can’t be changed. Others are linked to cancer-causing factors in the environment. Still, others are related to personal actions, such as smoking. Some factors influence risk more than others, and a person’s risk for cancer can change over time, due to factors such as aging or lifestyle.
Some of the major cancer risk factors that can be controlled:
Overall, about 1 out of 5 cancers diagnosed in the US are related to body fatness, physical inactivity, excess use of alcohol, and/or poor nutrition, and could be prevented.
Supportive care services describe a broad range of therapies designed to combat side effects and maintain well-being. Treating cancer requires focusing on more than the disease alone; it must also address the pain, fatigue, depression and other side effects that come with it.
Supportive care services include:
The future of cancer treatment lies in providing patients with an even greater level of personalization. Our doctors offer treatment options based on the genetic changes occurring in a specific tumor.
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). It’s been linked to cervical cancer, anal cancer, many genital cancers, and even head and neck cancers. There are vaccines to help prevent HPV infections. But most adults have already been infected with HPV, and the vaccines haven’t been proven to help people who already have HPV. Young people who are not yet sexually active should have a lower future cancer risk if they get one of the vaccines before they’re exposed to the virus. The American Cancer Society recommends the vaccines for girls and boys aged 11 and 12, though they can be given as young as age 9. Vaccination is also recommended up to age 26 in women, as well as in certain men who may be at higher risk for HPV infection.
Good preparation is the key to comfort! Your infusion nurses will do what they can to keep you settled and comfortable..
We also provide snacks, water, juice, ensure, blankets, pillows, hats (donated from our generous patients and wonderful community) books, magazines and tablets to enjoy a movie or two.
There are no findings of personality, attitude, stress, and cancer linking. There’s no scientific evidence that proves a person’s personality or outlook affects their cancer risk.There are many factors to view in the relationship between stress and cancer. It’s known that stress affects the immune system, but so does many other things. Despite many studies, a link between psychological stress and cancer has not been found.
American Cancer Society recommends women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.
We are the only clinic of its kind in the central valley. Our team of Breast specialists offer patients a multidisciplinary approach in the management of their breast cancer.
Our clinic is available to all patients who have an abnormal mammogram, a palpable mass, have been newly diagnosed, have recurrent breast cancer, or are at an increased risk of developing cancer.
Our caring staff is here to provide emotional support services for our patients and their families. We recognize that cancer treatment can be daunting and overwhelming. Our experienced professional staff is trained and committed to helping patients and their families through this journey with support and compassion.
Team of Breast specialists providing comprehensive care.
IGRT – We use image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), one of the most cutting-edge innovations in cancer technology available.
Tumors can move, because of breathing and other movement in the body. IGRT allows our doctors to locate and track the tumor at the time of treatment. With this technology, we can deliver precise radiation treatment to tumors that shift as a result of breathing and movement of the bladder and bowels. This also allows our radiation oncologists to make technical adjustments when a tumor moves outside of the planned treatment range.
As a result, the radiation treatment is targeted to the tumor as much as possible, helping to limit radiation exposure to healthy tissue and reduce common radiation side effects.
Signs of advanced stages of lung cancer
The term “computed tomography”, or CT, refers to a computerized x-ray imaging procedure in which a narrow beam of x-rays is concentrated at a patient and quickly rotated around the body, producing signals that are processed by the machine’s computer to generate cross-sectional images—or “slices”. These slices are called tomographic images and contain more detailed information than conventional x-rays.
Once a number of successive slices are collected by the machine’s computer, they can be digitally “stacked” together to form a three-dimensional image of the patient that allows for easier identification and location of basic structures as well as possible tumors or abnormalities.
A CT scan, or computed tomography scan, sends radiation through the body. However, unlike a simple X-ray image, it offers a higher level of detail, creating computerized, 360-degree views of the body’s structures. CT has become a useful screening tool for detecting possible tumors or lesions within the abdomen.
CT scans are fast and detailed. They do take longer than X-rays but are still fast.
CT scans can spot:
All x-rays produce ionizing radiation, which has the potential to cause biological effects in the human body. For patients, these biological effects can range from an increased lifetime risk of cancer to possible allergic reactions or kidney failure due to contrast agents. Under some rare circumstances of prolonged, high-dose exposure, x-rays can cause adverse health effects such as skin reddening, skin tissue injury, hair loss, cataracts, or birth defects (if scanning conducted during pregnancy). For conventional x-rays, the amount of radiation delivered to a patient is extremely small. However, for a CT exam, such as a study of the abdomen, the radiation delivered to the patient can be equivalent to as many as 400 chest x-rays. Similarly, a CT exam of the head can produce the equivalent of about 100 chest x-rays. For this reason, it’s important that CT exams are limited only to those cases where the benefit to be gained greatly outweighs the increased risk. This is especially true for children, who are more sensitive to ionizing radiation and have a longer life expectancy and, thus, have a higher relative risk for developing cancer than adults.
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is the use of various forms of radiation to safely and effectively treat cancer and other diseases. Radiation oncologists may use radiation to cure cancer, to control the growth of the cancer or to relieve symptoms, such as pain.Radiation therapy works by damaging cells while normal cells are able to repair themselves. Cancer cells cannot. New techniques also allow doctors to better target the radiation to protect healthy cells.
Sometimes radiation therapy is the only treatment a patient needs. At other times, it is only one part of a patient’s treatment. For example, prostate and larynx cancer are often treated with radiotherapy alone, while a woman with breast cancer may be treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Radiation may also be used to make your primary treatment more effective. For example, you can be treated with radiation therapy before surgery to help shrink the cancer and allow less extensive surgery than would otherwise be needed, or you may be treated with radiation after surgery to destroy small amounts of cancer that may have been left behind.
A radiation oncologist may choose to use radiation therapy in a number of different ways. Sometimes the goal is to cure the cancer. Sometimes, the overall goal is to slow down the cancer as much as possible. In other cases, the goal is to reduce the symptoms caused by growing tumors and to improve your quality of life. When radiation therapy is administered for this purpose, it is called palliative care or palliation.
IMRT – What is Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)?
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a state-of-the-art radiation delivery system that is used to treat difficult-to-reach tumors. IMRT uses advanced software to plan a precise dose of radiation, based on tumor size, shape and location. A computer-controlled device called a linear accelerator delivers radiation in sculpted doses that match the exact 3D geometrical shape of the tumor, including concave and complex shapes.
With IMRT, our radiation oncologist can adjust the intensity of radiation beams across the treatment area as needed with laser accuracy. This means we can deliver higher radiation doses than traditional radiation therapy methods, while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.
Because of its greater degree of accuracy, IMRT may be a treatment option for patients who have reached the maximum allowable dose of conventional radiation therapy and have a recurrent tumor in the treated area.
IGRT – We use image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), one of the most cutting-edge innovations in cancer technology available.
Tumors can move, because of breathing and other movement in the body. IGRT allows our doctors to locate and track the tumor at the time of treatment. With this technology, we can deliver precise radiation treatment to tumors that shift as a result of breathing and movement of the bladder and bowels. This also allows our radiation oncologists to make technical adjustments when a tumor moves outside of the planned treatment range.
As a result, the radiation treatment is targeted to the tumor as much as possible, helping to limit radiation exposure to healthy tissue and reduce common radiation side effects.
SBRT: Stereotactic Body Radio Therapy. The new treatment of choice.
In the hands of experts, many of the world’s leading radiation oncologists are employing the unique capabilities of SBRT, providing the maximum precision and potency needed to treat a variety of aggressive cancers that have defied conventional radiation therapy techniques.
El Portal Comprehensive Cancer Center uses this form of Radiation Therapy with “Elekta” Linear Accelerator to treat tumors in the lungs, liver, abdomen, pancreas, spine, and other areas of the body with pinpoint accuracy.
What is Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)?
Stereotactic radiotherapy is a high precision radiotherapy method in which a very high radiation dose is given to moderately large tumors.
The meaning of the word stereotactic is that a specially designed coordinate-system is used for exact localization of the tumor in the body, and also to accurately pinpoint the X-ray beams to the tumor. By giving a very high radiation dose the chance to kill all cells in the tumor is high.
Benefits of SBRT
• Alternative to conventional surgery
• Shorter treatment time
• High accuracy
• Low side effects
• Better outcome
Advantages of SBRT
• SBRT uses custom mapping to account for a patient’s anatomy, breathing and organ motion.
• SBRT allows us to treat small tumors close to critical organs with less damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
• With SBRT, we can deliver a single high-dose radiation treatment, so patients are often able to complete their treatment in a shorter time than with standard radiation treatment. Body radiosurgery is rare. We are able in only a few Centers of Excellence to immobilize and treat the body in a radiosurgical fashion, using high-level special technology.
What is the data supporting the use of SBRT treatments?
SBRT has shown dramatically better outcomes than conventional radiation therapy especially for early stage lung cancer, gastrointestinal tumors such as pancreatic tumors and liver tumors. There is convincing evidence from the United Stated, Japan, and Europe that SBRT may be as effective as surgery for early stage lung cancer. Two-year success rates for conventional treatment range from 30 to 40 percent, whereas the success rates for SBRT range from 80 to 90 percent comparable to surgical resection but with far fewer risks.
It is certainly the treatment modality of choice for patients who are not able to undergo surgery to remove their tumors from either a medical or technical perspective.
HDR Brachytherapy – High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a type of internal radiation therapy that delivers radiation from implants placed close to, or inside, the tumor(s) in the body.
Because cancer often affects organs and other essential structures, it is important for radiation treatment to be tightly focused on tumors to minimize serious side effects.
This technique ensures the maximum radiation dose is given to cancerous tissues, while minimizing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue.
With this form of brachytherapy, tiny, hollow catheters are temporarily inserted directly into a tumor. Before each treatment, we check the position of the catheters with millimeter precision.
Next, a series of radioactive pellets are inserted into each catheter. Computer guidance controls (1) how far the pellet goes into the catheter to precisely target the location of tumors, and (2) how long the pellet stays in the catheter to release its radiation dose. With a few well-placed catheters, HDR brachytherapy can provide a precise treatment that takes only a few minutes. Brachytherapy offers a quicker, more effective type of radiation treatment for some patients.
For many cancer types, the entire brachytherapy treatment takes one to two days, instead of five to seven weeks for external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Depending on the type and stage of cancer, brachytherapy may be combined with other treatments, which can vary treatment times.
There are several options available to treat non-melanoma skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma). These include:
Each treatment has advantages and disadvantages. These should be considered and discussed with your healthcare professional when planning your treatment.
Brachytherapy is a very effective treatment option for skin cancer. Complete response is seen in >95% of patients.1-3 This is comparable with surgical excision.
Superficial brachytherapy itself is painless. Only in cases where doctors decide that invasive procedures are required for optimal outcome can anesthesia be applied.
After your procedure, you will be scheduled regular appointments to check that the tumor is responding to the treatment. Based on clinical experience, a complete response is expected in more than 95% of all patients.
All treatments for skin cancer carry a risk of side effects. Immediately after the brachytherapy treatment, a redness or rash may appear on the skin. This usually resolves within a couple of weeks after finalizing the treatments.
Side effects of brachytherapy are specific to the area being treated. Because brachytherapy focuses radiation in a small treatment area, only that area is affected. You might have tenderness and swelling in the treatment area. Ask your team or doctor what other side effects to expect.
Short-term (acute) side effects: As with all treatments, you may experience some side effects immediately after the treatment procedure. After brachytherapy, you may experience some of the following:
Long-term side effects: In the majority of cases, the area of skin being treated will return to normal appearance after a few weeks. With brachytherapy, as with other treatments, some long-term side effects may be experienced. Long-term side effects that may appear after brachytherapy:
Discuss your treatment options and the relative risks of potential side effects with your healthcare professional.
In the majority of cases, the area of skin being treated with brachytherapy will return to normal appearance after a couple of weeks. In some cases a slight mark or discoloration of the skin may occur.
The recovery time after brachytherapy for skin cancer is usually very short. You can probably return to your normal daily routine immediately after treatment.
Treatment is usually given on an outpatient basis. Standard brachytherapy procedures for treating skin lesions do not require hospitalization.
SpaceOAR Hydrogel is an absorbable hydrogel that temporarily creates space between the prostate and the rectum, reducing the radiation dose delivered to the rectum during prostate radiation therapy.
When treating prostate cancer patients with radiation therapy, the goal is to kill the cancer cells while avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissue. The prostate is next to the rectum and naturally separated by a small space. Due to the proximity, prostate radiation therapy can unintentionally cause damage to the rectum, which can lead to issues with bowel function. The “OAR” in SpaceOAR stands for “organ at risk,” and with radiation therapy to the prostate, this organ is the rectum.
SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is made up of two liquids that when combined form a soft gel material that is mostly made of water. The material that the SpaceOAR Hydrogel is made from has been used in other implants such as surgical sealants used in the eye, brain and spine.
SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel can be implanted as an outpatient procedure in a hospital, surgery center, outpatient clinic or doctor’s office prior to the start of radiation treatment. It is typically not a lengthy procedure.
The SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is injected as liquid through a small needle inserted between the rectum and the prostate. Your doctor will use ultrasound imaging to ensure correct placement.
Your doctor will use a local, regional or general anesthesia and the injection site will be numbed, so you may feel a pinprick or pressure but should not feel any discomfort. Following the implantation, you may experience some temporary discomfort at the injection site. SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel patients typically report no prolonged discomfort from the implanted gel.
You should be able to go back to your normal activities soon. Check with your doctor about anything you should avoid after the procedure and during your radiation treatments.
Hematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. Hematologists are professionals with extensive training. They specialize in diagnosing and managing conditions such as anemia, immunodeficiencies, thromboembolism (blood clots), leukemia, and bleeding disorders, including hereditary bleeding diseases. By analyzing blood and bone marrow cells hematologists can provide valuable insights into a patient’s overall health and develop personalized treatment plans. With their expertise, hematologists play a crucial role in maintaining the well-being of patients with hematological conditions by ensuring the proper functioning of their blood and addressing any related medical concerns.
When evaluating patients, hematologists may perform a range of blood tests to assess and diagnose various blood-related conditions. Some of the most common blood tests include:
Take along a list of questions you would like to ask your hematologist that will help you better understand if you have a blood disorder.
Be prepared to answer questions:
One of the most common and effective treatments of cancer is the infusion of anti-cancer medications with an intravenous solution. This is known as chemotherapy or “chemo.” Since every human body is different, administration and results of the infusions are also unique to each patient. Our physicians and nursing staff monitor each patient’s progress and make adjustments as needed to ensure optimal effectiveness.
Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a state-of-the-art radiation delivery system that is used to treat difficult-to-reach tumors. IMRT uses advanced software to plan a precise dose of radiation, based on tumor size, shape and location. A computer-controlled device called a linear accelerator delivers radiation in sculpted doses that match the exact 3D geometrical shape of the tumor, including concave and complex shapes. With IMRT, our radiation oncologist can adjust the intensity of radiation beams across the treatment area as needed with laser accuracy. This means we can deliver higher radiation doses than traditional radiation therapy methods, while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues. Because of its greater degree of accuracy, IMRT may be a treatment option for patients who have reached the maximum allowable dose of conventional radiation therapy and have a recurrent tumor in the treated area.
We use image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), one of the most cutting-edge innovations in cancer technology available. Tumors can move, because of breathing and other movement in the body. IGRT allows our doctors to locate and track the tumor at the time of treatment. With this technology, we can deliver precise radiation treatment to tumors that shift as a result of breathing and movement of the bladder and bowels. This also allows our radiation oncologists to make technical adjustments when a tumor moves outside of the planned treatment range. As a result, the radiation treatment is targeted to the tumor as much as possible, helping to limit radiation exposure to healthy tissue and reduce common radiation side effects.
Stereotactic radiotherapy is a high precision radiotherapy method in which a very high radiation dose is given to moderately large tumors. The meaning of the word stereotactic is that a specially designed coordinate-system is used for exact localization of the tumor in the body, and also to accurately pinpoint the X-ray beams to the tumor. By giving a very high radiation dose the chance to kill all cells in the tumor is high.
• Alternative to conventional surgery
• Shorter treatment time
• High accuracy
• Low side effects
• Better outcome
SBRT has shown dramatically better outcomes than conventional radiation therapy especially for early stage lung cancer, gastrointestinal tumors such as pancreatic tumors and liver tumors. There is convincing evidence from the United Stated, Japan, and Europe that SBRT may be as effective as surgery for early stage lung cancer. Two-year success rates for conventional treatment range from 30 to 40 percent, whereas the success rates for SBRT range from 80 to 90 percent comparable to surgical resection but with far fewer risks. It is certainly the treatment modality of choice for patients who are not able to undergo surgery to remove their tumors from either a medical or technical perspective.
The information provided on this website is informational only and is not intended to be a substitute for a thorough discussion or diagnosis with your doctor.
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