The ideal anticancer drug should only be able to destroy malignant cells without causing adverse effects to the body, but this option does not exist, because the nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy can be so strong that patients abandon the treatment reach , which severely limits their recovery.

However, chemotherapy treatment is essential to remove malignant tumors and thus achieve healing. To reverse and control the adverse effects of nausea and vomiting caused by the chemotherapy, science has developed substances called antiemetic can minimize or even eliminate these side effects.

During the 41st annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO, by its initials in English) held in Orlando, Florida, Professor Matti S. Aapro, Director of the Multidisciplinary Oncology Institute in Genolier, Switzerland, presented data from an epidemiological study entitled Comparison of aprepitant combination regimen with 4-day ondansetron + 4-day dexamethasone for prevention of acute and delayed nausea / vomiting after cisplatin chemotherapy. The study results showed that treatment with aprepitant (Emend) is superior to the scheme of several days with ondansetron and dexamethasone to prevent nausea and vomiting induced by highly emetogenic chemotherapy (nausea and frequent vomiting).

In that study, the drug regimen performed better than the treatment of several days only with others, both in the acute phase and in the late after chemotherapy with high dose cisplatin.

“This study demonstrates the clinical benefit of the scheme with aprepitant (Emend) in the full cycle of treatment in both acute and delayed phase in patients treated with cisplatin. Clinical studies like this reinforce the new parameters of antiemetic treatment guidelines as recommended by the Multinational Association for Supportive Care Cancer (MASCC), “said Professor Matti Aapro, also President of the MASCC.

This multinational, randomized, double-blind study, evaluated 484 patients undergoing chemotherapy and analyzed the complete response rates-defined as no vomiting and no rescue medication use, in the acute phase (from 0 to 1 days ), late (2 to 5 days) and globally (1 to 5 days) as the first line antiemetic therapy in patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

Before selecting the most appropriate antiemetic for each patient, it is important to know that all chemotherapy drugs act differently and may have several side effects. The most important thing a patient can do to reduce the occurrence of nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy is to talk with your medical oncologist about antiemetics that have been prescribed and they have given satisfaction.

Overall, pleural tumors can not be removed surgically. It must treat the original cancer (primary). Depending on the type of primary cancer, radiotherapy or chemotherapy may be appropriate.

Therapeutic thoracentesis may be performed if fluid accumulation is large and causing pressure, shortness of breath or other breathing problems (such as low oxygen levels). Removing the fluid may allow the lung to expand more and can ease breathing difficulties.

To prevent fluid from building up again, sometimes medication will be placed in the thoracic space through a tube or a surgeon can insert a scope through a small incision in the chest wall to remove fluid (thoracoscopy). Then a drug is sprayed or powder on the surface to prevent lung cancer cells produce more fluid in the future.

Expectations

The survival rate five years (number of people living more than five years after diagnosis) is less than 25% for people with pleural tumors that have spread.

Complications

* Side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
* Continued spread of cancer

Situations requiring medical assistance

Call your doctor if you experience symptoms of this disorder.

Prevention

Early detection and treatment of primary cancers may prevent metastatic pleural tumors in some people.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world. It is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes most lung cancers. A greater number of cigarettes they smoke daily newspapers and the younger you start smoking, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer. Exposure to high levels of pollution, radiation and asbestos can also increase the risk.

Common symptoms of lung cancer include:

1. A cough that does not go away and worsens over time
2. Constant chest pain
3. Cough with bloody sputum
4. Shortness of breath, wheezing or hoarseness
5. Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis
6. Loss of appetite or weight loss
7. Fatigue

There are many types of lung cancer. Each grows and spreads differently and treated differently. Treatment also depends on the stage or how far along you are. Treatment can include chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Only 15 to 20% of lung cancers are detected in its early stages because the symptoms are delayed. In many cases the diagnosis is usually incidental, that is, by medical evidence that you had another purpose. When diagnosed with lung cancer, additional tests are performed to evaluate different tumor stage (if the initial or advanced) as well as lung capacity and general condition.

The prognosis and treatment depend on the size and the extent of having cancer (stage), and the histologic type of tumor. The surgery involves removing the lung area containing the tumor (lung lobe) and lymph nodes in the chest and is the treatment of choice in the early stages of the disease. Chemotherapy involves using drugs to kill cancer cells and radiation therapy using high energy X rays. These last two treatments are used in more advanced stages or in patients which can not be performed surgery.

How can detect early stage lung cancer?
An early-stage lung cancer can be diagnosed early by detecting a lung nodule in chest x-ray or a CT scan. Latter being much more sensitive and accurate. Lung nodules can be benign (infections, scars or benign) or represent an early stage lung cancer. The importance of early diagnosis is that surgery in early stages is the only treatment that can cure lung cancer.

The most common symptoms are usually shortness of breath, cough, including coughing up blood, weight loss, chest pain, hoarseness and swelling in the neck and face, among others.

The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking and people who do not have this habit, the development of cancer is usually a result of genetic factors and exposure to radon (chemical element), asbestos (fibrous metamorphic mineral), and pollution air pollution, including secondhand smoke (passive smoking).

Among the treatment options for lung cancer non-small cell, which is the most common type (it is estimated that approximately 80% of cases, as shown on page www.info.cancerresearchuk.org) AstraZeneca developed a molecular therapy with major advantages over chemotherapy.

Recently, the molecule Gefitinib proved as effective as chemotherapy most widely used second-line treatment with the advantage that produces no side-effects of these therapies such as general deterioration of the patient, nausea, vomiting, hair loss and decrease in white blood cells, causing a predisposition to infection.

The molecule Gefitinib does give better quality of life for the patient with lung cancer and is considered a “treatment directed”, ie that its mechanism of action operates directly on cancer cells without affecting the proper functioning of the organism, preventing the spread of the disease and related mechanisms that blocks the growth, proliferation and spread of cancer. It also has a simple oral administration which facilitates the adherence by the patient to cancer treatment.

It is vital that the individual together with a physician to explore all available alternatives for the treatment of this disease and help make a better choice for that cancer does not thrive without affecting the quality of life of patients.

Surgery: invasive technique to remove the tumor. Usually also extracted tissue surrounding the tumor, to prevent metastasis.

Radiation therapy: high-energy rays are used to damage cancer cells, thereby halting its growth and division.

Chemotherapy is drug treatment, which involves the injection of drugs that attack cancer cells in blood vessels or muscles. Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles, ie, after a treatment period is a recovery.

Hormone therapy: some types of cancer, including breast and prostate cancer depends on certain hormones for growth. Therefore, the specialist may recommend this type of therapy to prevent cancer cells from collecting or using the hormones needed to be further developed. This is achieved through the removal of ovaries or testes, in some cases, or by drugs that stop the hormone production.

Biological therapy: also called immunotherapy, is a treatment that uses the body itself to protect the body from infectious disease or treatment effects through the immune system.

The doctor may use a method or a combination of methods. The choice of treatment depends on the type and location of cancer, whether the disease has spread, the patient’s age and general health, among other factors.

What are the most common side effects?
The most common side effects of chemotherapy include:
* Nausea and vomiting.
* Hair loss.
* Fatigue and malaise.
* Increased likelihood of bruising and bleeding.
* Anemia.
* Infections.

Other problems or symptoms that may occur chemotherapy are:
* Intestinal problems.
* Changes in appetite and weight.
* Sores in the mouth, gums and / or throat.
* Problems with the nerves and muscles.
* Dry skin.
* Irritation of the kidneys and bladder.
* Problems related to sexuality and fertility of reproductive organs.

Chemotherapy Does it hurt?
Many drugs used in chemotherapy to be administered directly into the blood, the vein or injection into muscle, causing a little discomfort.

Moreover, if the drug causes pain, burning, cold or other odd sensation, contact your doctor or nurse immediately, as there may be a small problem of administration.

How long do the side effects?
Most side effects disappear rather quickly at the end of chemotherapy treatment, because healthy cells recover quickly. The exact time varies, depends on the individual and many factors, including overall health, and type of drugs he received.

Some side effects can take months or years to disappear completely, sometimes remaining lifetime. An example is when chemotherapy causes permanent damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys or reproductive organs. You may also see a second cancer years later.

Can I work while I’m undergoing chemotherapy?
The ability to work, study or other activities on the treatment received and how it affects him. Some treatments require hospital admission or more weeks, but some patients are able to work during treatment.

Although it is possible that fatigue leads to treatment do you need to adjust your work schedule for a while, or just reduce it.

Also, your doctor will prescribe the time off work if your state does not allow you to continue working.

It is called chemotherapy medication used to treat cancer. Sometimes this type of treatment is called colloquially just “chemo.”

The advantage – and problem – of chemotherapy is that it acts throughout the body, so that, in addition to destroying cancer cells in the tumor and those that have metastasized and have spread to other parts of the body away from the primary tumor ( original), it can also affect normal healthy cells.

The drugs used in chemotherapy kill rapidly growing cells throughout the body. The cause of side effects is precisely the harm done to healthy tissue, healthy cells.

Normal cells are most likely to be affected are:
* Blood-producing cells in the bone marrow,
* Cells in the mouth,
* The digestive tract (especially the gut),
* Reproductive system cells
* Hair follicles.

Some chemotherapeutic agents can also damage cells of the heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs and nervous system.

In short, it is important to note that:
* All people do not experience all side effects.
* The severity of side effects is different for each person.
* The physician and / or nurse will answer any questions you have and inform you of the side effects you may suffer if any.
* In some cases there are drugs that your doctor may prescribe, to prevent or improve symptoms chemotherapy side.
* Although the side effects can cause discomfort, it is important to remember that this treatment is that your doctor considers the best to destroy the cancer that affects you.

Limited Stage
In general, chemotherapy is used as primary treatment, with the use of several drugs in combination.

With chemotherapy is used radiotherapy to the chest. Patients who respond well to initial treatment is administered, so preventive radiation to the head. This is because the brain is one of the sites where metastases frequently occur.

In most patients, these tumors resolve with treatment, but soon reappear becoming resistant to treatment. The survival rate of two years in the limited stage, is 40% to 50% but is reduced by 10% to 20% for five years.

Many studies are underway to test the effectiveness of other treatments such as immunotherapy or gene therapy.

Extensive stage
The prognosis at this stage is very bad if left untreated cancer. Chemotherapy may be used to treat symptoms and flatter short-term survival.

Treatment with two or more drugs can shrink tumors in about 70% to 80% of these patients. Radiation therapy is also used to control symptoms and prevent the occurrence of brain metastases.

Laser surgery is used to relieve airway obstruction in patients who, by their general, not amenable to surgical surgery. The prognosis of survival five years after the discovery of cancer, is younger than 4%.

Patients who have their health badly damaged and can not undergo chemotherapy, your treatment will be reduced to drugs to relieve pain.

Chemotherapy is the primary treatment option in most cases of SCLC. It can easily control the symptoms, which are often very pronounced in this type of cancer. However, the cures are rare and most often accrue past year or two.

Not all patients can be operated on as it will depend on whether they have sufficient capacity to withstand respiratory excision of part or all of the lung and how is your general condition.

In lung cancer, often used a combination of chemotherapeutic drugs. Some of these drugs can be given by mouth or by vein. When they reach the bloodstream, these drugs are spread throughout the body and act against cancer cells, destroying them. For this reason it is very useful in those cancers that have spread to other areas.

Chemotherapy can be given as primary treatment or as therapy to aid surgery. In many cases, chemotherapy is given before surgery, with the intention of reducing the tumor volume and pave the way for a surgeon. Even at times, some inoperable lung cancers become operable after several months of chemotherapy. It is also possible to receive chemotherapy after surgery, even when the entire tumor was removed successfully. The reason is that with this strategy avoids a percentage of relapse and end up healing more long-term patients. We know this kind of cancer treatment as adjuvant chemotherapy.

The choice of treatment of first or second line depends on the type of cancer, and ranges from non-small cell cancer or small cell.

The most common side effects of chemotherapy that occur as a result of the use of chemotherapy are nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, hair loss and mouth sores. Along with the chemotherapeutic drugs are used to diminish or make other side effects disappear first.