Hyperthermia Treatment For Breast Cancer
News story about using hyperthermia as a treatment for breast cancer.
Hyperthermia therapy is a treatment used in battling cancer by heating tumors. The Heating is about as warm as a hot tub. Research has shown that heat can damage or kill cancer cells in some tumors while also making radiation and chemotherapy more effective.
While it has been known for hundreds of years that fevers can kill cancer, only recently has technology been developed that can control and focus heat specifically on tumors.
Local hyperthermia treatment (heat applied to a very small area, such as a tumor) is a well-established cancer treatment. Primary malignant tumors have a bad blood circulation, which make them more sensitive to changes in temperature.
“Our own clinical experience and the results of numerous published studies are highly encouraging in that increased use of hyperthermia will improve the quality of life for cancer patients and improve control of cancer recurrences.”
Dr. Gerald Sokol, New Hope Cancer Center, Hudson, FL.
“Hyperthermia is offering our patients new hope. We are often seeing faster responses, better cancer control, and fewer side effects.”
Dr. Leland Rogers, GammaWest, Salt Lake City, Utah
“Hyperthermia gives us a method to treat people when there are few other alternatives. It’s an additional form of treatment that can be done in difficult cases, usually without serious side effects or complications.”
Dr. Steven Stroup, Centennial Hospital, Nashville, Tenn.
“When the tumor is of larger size, it is unresectable surgically. Also, radiation has less effect on the center part of the tumor, which is deprived of the oxygen blood supply and the nutrients. By increasing the temperature of the tissues from 42-44 degrees centigrade, (hyperthermia) increases the circulation, increases the oxygenation, so that the radiation is more effective.”
Nasir Syed, Long Beach Memorial Center, Long Beach, CA
Duration : 0:2:47
“Patients’ choices in terms of what therapy to have for prostate cancer really are based on their individual situation and their acceptance of certain risks or benefits from that treatment.” Drs. Tewari (leader in prostate cancer research and surgery) and Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology discuss “treatment choices” in the context of patient profile and the acceptance of certain risks. They emphasize the importance of having all the right knowledge and being an informed prostate cancer patient when facing prostate cancer treatment decisions. Prostate cancer requires you to get through all the physician bias and make informed decisions in partnership with your prostate cancer doctor.
“A lot of the risk in terms of developing prostate cancer is genetic and not something we have full control over.” Dr. Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology discusses the role genetics play in Prostate Cancer.
“Surgical removal of the prostate can either be done with an open incision, as has been traditionally been done, or with a robotic approach.” Dr. Tewari and Dr, Schlegel, of the Dept. of Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, present the two main type sof prostate cancer surgery, as well as explaining the advantages/disadvantages of each.
“It’s important to have a wide variety of different treatment approaches and different support groups for men who have prostate cancer.” Dr. Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology discusses various treatment options for men to consider when faced with prostate cancer. Including hormonal prostate cancer treatment options and surgical. He also discusses adjunctive therapies for prostate cancer patients.
“Actually the first morning is very important, because by that time you know exactly how that patient is going to do down the road.” Dr. Tewari, of the Dept. of Urology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, shares both clinical and psychological dimensions of recovery and healing.
They have cancer on both sides of their family. Most families do. But, when Mark finds himself getting up in the middle night it starts a diagnosis that includes PSA (Prostate Specific Antigens) tests and a series of biopsies and lab tests that are at first, inconclusive.
“At this point in time, you can’t consider you’re providing the best care fir cancer patients if you’re limited to an individual specialty.” Dr. Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology discusses the critical importance of a “coordinated” approach to treating prostate cancer. He discusses the role of a an interdisciplinary urology team is able to unite on their subspecialties and take a team-based approach to prostate cancer treatment in men who are battling prostate cancer.
“Surgical treatment of prostate cancer requires removal of the prostate and that always has a risk of urinary leakage afterwards, some risk of surgical complications, and some risk of anesthetic complications.” Drs. Tewari (leader in prostate cancer research and surgery) and Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology provide an overview of the advanced surgical techniques that help patients avoid some of the complications ociated with complicated prostate cancer surgery treatment options. Discussions concerning erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence resulting from prostate cancer surgery are among the potential complications these leaders in prostate cancer surgery and research discuss.
“When a patient first hears that they have a diagnosis of cancer, they usually aren’t ready to accept much more information at that point in time.” Why me? I exercised and had a good diet. Why? In this health video minute on prostate cancer, Drs. Tewari (leader in prostate cancer research and surgery) and Schlegel (Department Chairman) of Cornell Urology review the process of receiving and delivering a diagnosis of prostate cancer.