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Question: what is are breast cancer
Answer: key points breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in american women breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast the breast is made up of lobes and ducts each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes which have many smaller sections called lobules lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can make milk the lobes lobules and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts each breast also has blood vessels and lymph vessels the lymph vessels carry an almost colorless fluid called lymph lymph vessels lead to organs called lymph nodes lymph nodes are small bean shaped structures that are found throughout the body they filter lymph and store white blood cells that help fight infection and disease clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla under the arm above the collarbone and in the chest see the following pdq summaries for more information about breast cancer breast cancer screening breast cancer treatment breast cancer treatment and pregnancy male breast cancer treatment genetics of breast and ovarian cancer breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in american women women in the united states get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except skin cancer breast cancer is second to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in american women however deaths from breast cancer have decreased a little bit every year between 2003 and 2012 breast cancer also occurs in men but the number of new cases is small
Keywords: cancer, breast, lymph, called, vessel, woman, american, lobe, lobule, second


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Question: how to prevent breast cancer
Answer: key points avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer the following are risk factors for breast cancer older age a personal history of breast cancer or benign noncancer breast disease inherited risk of breast cancer dense breasts exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made in the body taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause radiation therapy to the breast or chest obesity drinking alcohol the following are protective factors for breast cancer less exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made by the body taking estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators or aromatase inhibitors and inactivators estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators aromatase inhibitors and inactivators risk reducing mastectomy ovarian ablation getting enough exercise it is not clear whether the following affect the risk of breast cancer oral contraceptives environment studies have shown that some factors do not affect the risk of breast cancer cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer new ways to prevent breast cancer are being studied in clinical trials avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer avoiding cancer risk factors may help prevent certain cancers risk factors include smoking being overweight and not getting enough exercise increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking and exercising may also help prevent some cancers talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer nci s breast cancer risk assessment tool uses a woman s risk factors to estimate her risk for breast cancer during the next five years and up to age 90 this online tool is meant to be used by a health care provider for more information on breast cancer risk call 1 800 4 cancer the following are risk factors for breast cancer older age older age is the main risk factor for most cancers the chance of getting cancer increases as you get older a personal history of breast cancer or benign noncancer breast disease women with any of the following have an increased risk of breast cancer a personal history of invasive breast cancer ductal carcinoma in situ dcis or lobular carcinoma in situ lcis a personal history of benign noncancer breast disease inherited risk of breast cancer women with a family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative mother sister or daughter have an increased risk of breast cancer women who have inherited changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes or in certain other genes have a higher risk of breast cancer the risk of breast cancer caused by inherited gene changes depends on the type of gene mutation family history of cancer and other factors dense breasts having breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram is a factor in breast cancer risk the level of risk depends on how dense the breast tissue is women with very dense breasts have a higher risk of breast cancer than women with low breast density increased breast density is often an inherited trait but it may also occur in women who have not had children have a first pregnancy late in life take postmenopausal hormones or drink alcohol exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made in the body estrogen is a hormone made by the body it helps the body develop and maintain female sex characteristics being exposed to estrogen over a long time may increase the risk of breast cancer estrogen levels are highest during the years a woman is menstruating a woman s exposure to estrogen is increased in the following ways early menstruation beginning to have menstrual periods at age 11 or younger increases the number of years the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen starting menopause at a later age the more years a woman menstruates the longer her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen older age at first birth or never having given birth because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy breast tissue is exposed to more estrogen in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can be made into a pill form in a laboratory estrogen progestin or both may be given to replace the estrogen no longer made by the ovaries in postmenopausal women or women who have had their ovaries removed this is called hormone replacement therapy hrt or hormone therapy ht combination hrt ht is estrogen combined with progestin this type of hrt ht increases the risk of breast cancer studies show that when women stop taking estrogen combined with progestin the risk of breast cancer decreases radiation therapy to the breast or chest radiation therapy to the chest for the treatment of cancer increases the risk of breast cancer starting 10 years after treatment the risk of breast cancer depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given the risk is highest if radiation treatment was used during puberty when breasts are forming radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not appear to increase the risk of cancer in the other breast for women who have inherited changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes exposure to radiation such as that from chest x rays may further increase the risk of breast cancer especially in women who were x rayed before 20 years of age obesity obesity increases the risk of breast cancer especially in postmenopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy drinking alcohol drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer the level of risk rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises the following are protective factors for breast cancer less exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made by the body decreasing the length of time a woman s breast tissue is exposed to estrogen may help prevent breast cancer exposure to estrogen is reduced in the following ways early pregnancy estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy women who have a full term pregnancy before age 20 have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have not had children or who give birth to their first child after age 35 breast feeding estrogen levels may remain lower while a woman is breast feeding women who breastfed have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have had children but did not breastfeed taking estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators or aromatase inhibitors and inactivators estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy hormone therapy with estrogen only may be given to women who have had a hysterectomy in these women estrogen only therapy after menopause may decrease the risk of breast cancer there is an increased risk of stroke and heart and blood vessel disease in postmenopausal women who take estrogen after a hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators tamoxifen and raloxifene belong to the family of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators serms serms act like estrogen on some tissues in the body but block the effect of estrogen on other tissues treatment with tamoxifen lowers the risk of estrogen receptor positive er positive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ in premenopausal and postmenopausal women at high risk treatment with raloxifene also lowers the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women with either drug the reduced risk lasts for several years or longer after treatment is stopped lower rates of broken bones have been noted in patients taking raloxifene taking tamoxifen increases the risk of hot flashes endometrial cancer stroke cataracts and blood clots especially in the lungs and legs the risk of having these problems increases markedly in women older than 50 years compared with younger women women younger than 50 years who have a high risk of breast cancer may benefit the most from taking tamoxifen the risk of having these problems decreases after tamoxifen is stopped talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this drug taking raloxifene increases the risk of blood clots in the lungs and legs but does not appear to increase the risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis decreased bone density raloxifene lowers the risk of breast cancer for women who have a high or low risk of breast cancer it is not known if raloxifene would have the same effect in women who do not have osteoporosis talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this drug other serms are being studied in clinical trials aromatase inhibitors and inactivators aromatase inhibitors anastrozole letrozole and inactivators exemestane lower the risk of recurrence and of new breast cancers in women who have a history of breast cancer aromatase inhibitors also decrease the risk of breast cancer in women with the following conditions postmenopausal women with a personal history of breast cancer women with no personal history of breast cancer who are 60 years and older have a history of ductal carcinoma in situ with mastectomy or have a high risk of breast cancer based on the gail model tool a tool used to estimate the risk of breast cancer in women with an increased risk of breast cancer taking aromatase inhibitors decreases the amount of estrogen made by the body before menopause estrogen is made by the ovaries and other tissues in a woman s body including the brain fat tissue and skin after menopause the ovaries stop making estrogen but the other tissues do not aromatase inhibitors block the action of an enzyme called aromatase which is used to make all of the body s estrogen aromatase inactivators stop the enzyme from working possible harms from taking aromatase inhibitors include muscle and joint pain osteoporosis hot flashes and feeling very tired risk reducing mastectomy some women who have a high risk of breast cancer may choose to have a risk reducing mastectomy the removal of both breasts when there are no signs of cancer the risk of breast cancer is much lower in these women and most feel less anxious about their risk of breast cancer however it is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling about the different ways to prevent breast cancer before making this decision ovarian ablation the ovaries make most of the estrogen that is made by the body treatments that stop or lower the amount of estrogen made by the ovaries include surgery to remove the ovaries radiation therapy or taking certain drugs this is called ovarian ablation premenopausal women who have a high risk of breast cancer due to certain changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes may choose to have a risk reducing oophorectomy the removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of cancer this decreases the amount of estrogen made by the body and lowers the risk of breast cancer risk reducing oophorectomy also lowers the risk of breast cancer in normal premenopausal women and in women with an increased risk of breast cancer due to radiation to the chest however it is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling before making this decision the sudden drop in estrogen levels may cause the symptoms of menopause to begin these include hot flashes trouble sleeping anxiety and depression long term effects include decreased sex drive vaginal dryness and decreased bone density getting enough exercise women who exercise four or more hours a week have a lower risk of breast cancer the effect of exercise on breast cancer risk may be greatest in premenopausal women who have normal or low body weight it is not clear whether the following affect the risk of breast cancer oral contraceptives certain oral contraceptives contain estrogen some studies have shown that taking oral contraceptives the pill may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in current users this risk decreases over time other studies have not shown an increased risk of breast cancer in women who take oral contraceptives progestin only contraceptives that are injected or implanted do not appear to increase the risk of breast cancer more studies are needed to know whether progestin only oral contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer environment studies have not proven that being exposed to certain substances in the environment such as chemicals increases the risk of breast cancer studies have shown that some factors do not affect the risk of breast cancer the following do not affect the risk of breast cancer having an abortion making diet changes such as eating less fat or more fruits and vegetables taking vitamins including fenretinide a type of vitamin a cigarette smoking both active and passive inhaling secondhand smoke using underarm deodorant or antiperspirant taking statins cholesterol lowering drugs taking bisphosphonates drugs used to treat osteoporosis and hypercalcemia by mouth or by intravenous infusion cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer some cancer prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer but who have an increased risk for cancer other prevention trials are conducted with people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent another cancer of the same type or to lower their chance of developing a new type of cancer other trials are done with healthy volunteers who are not known to have any risk factors for cancer the purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer these may include exercising more or quitting smoking or taking certain medicines vitamins minerals or food supplements new ways to prevent breast cancer are being studied in clinical trials
Keywords: cancer, breast, risk, woman, estrogen, taking, factor, lower, increase, therapy


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Question: who is at risk for breast cancer
Answer: key points avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer the following are risk factors for breast cancer older age a personal history of breast cancer or benign noncancer breast disease inherited risk of breast cancer dense breasts exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made in the body taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause radiation therapy to the breast or chest obesity drinking alcohol the following are protective factors for breast cancer less exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made by the body taking estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators or aromatase inhibitors and inactivators estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators aromatase inhibitors and inactivators risk reducing mastectomy ovarian ablation getting enough exercise it is not clear whether the following affect the risk of breast cancer oral contraceptives environment studies have shown that some factors do not affect the risk of breast cancer cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer new ways to prevent breast cancer are being studied in clinical trials avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer avoiding cancer risk factors may help prevent certain cancers risk factors include smoking being overweight and not getting enough exercise increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking and exercising may also help prevent some cancers talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer nci s breast cancer risk assessment tool uses a woman s risk factors to estimate her risk for breast cancer during the next five years and up to age 90 this online tool is meant to be used by a health care provider for more information on breast cancer risk call 1 800 4 cancer the following are risk factors for breast cancer older age older age is the main risk factor for most cancers the chance of getting cancer increases as you get older a personal history of breast cancer or benign noncancer breast disease women with any of the following have an increased risk of breast cancer a personal history of invasive breast cancer ductal carcinoma in situ dcis or lobular carcinoma in situ lcis a personal history of benign noncancer breast disease inherited risk of breast cancer women with a family history of breast cancer in a first degree relative mother sister or daughter have an increased risk of breast cancer women who have inherited changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes or in certain other genes have a higher risk of breast cancer the risk of breast cancer caused by inherited gene changes depends on the type of gene mutation family history of cancer and other factors dense breasts having breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram is a factor in breast cancer risk the level of risk depends on how dense the breast tissue is women with very dense breasts have a higher risk of breast cancer than women with low breast density increased breast density is often an inherited trait but it may also occur in women who have not had children have a first pregnancy late in life take postmenopausal hormones or drink alcohol exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made in the body estrogen is a hormone made by the body it helps the body develop and maintain female sex characteristics being exposed to estrogen over a long time may increase the risk of breast cancer estrogen levels are highest during the years a woman is menstruating a woman s exposure to estrogen is increased in the following ways early menstruation beginning to have menstrual periods at age 11 or younger increases the number of years the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen starting menopause at a later age the more years a woman menstruates the longer her breast tissue is exposed to estrogen older age at first birth or never having given birth because estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy breast tissue is exposed to more estrogen in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant taking hormone therapy for symptoms of menopause hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can be made into a pill form in a laboratory estrogen progestin or both may be given to replace the estrogen no longer made by the ovaries in postmenopausal women or women who have had their ovaries removed this is called hormone replacement therapy hrt or hormone therapy ht combination hrt ht is estrogen combined with progestin this type of hrt ht increases the risk of breast cancer studies show that when women stop taking estrogen combined with progestin the risk of breast cancer decreases radiation therapy to the breast or chest radiation therapy to the chest for the treatment of cancer increases the risk of breast cancer starting 10 years after treatment the risk of breast cancer depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given the risk is highest if radiation treatment was used during puberty when breasts are forming radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not appear to increase the risk of cancer in the other breast for women who have inherited changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes exposure to radiation such as that from chest x rays may further increase the risk of breast cancer especially in women who were x rayed before 20 years of age obesity obesity increases the risk of breast cancer especially in postmenopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy drinking alcohol drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer the level of risk rises as the amount of alcohol consumed rises the following are protective factors for breast cancer less exposure of breast tissue to estrogen made by the body decreasing the length of time a woman s breast tissue is exposed to estrogen may help prevent breast cancer exposure to estrogen is reduced in the following ways early pregnancy estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy women who have a full term pregnancy before age 20 have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have not had children or who give birth to their first child after age 35 breast feeding estrogen levels may remain lower while a woman is breast feeding women who breastfed have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have had children but did not breastfeed taking estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators or aromatase inhibitors and inactivators estrogen only hormone therapy after hysterectomy hormone therapy with estrogen only may be given to women who have had a hysterectomy in these women estrogen only therapy after menopause may decrease the risk of breast cancer there is an increased risk of stroke and heart and blood vessel disease in postmenopausal women who take estrogen after a hysterectomy selective estrogen receptor modulators tamoxifen and raloxifene belong to the family of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators serms serms act like estrogen on some tissues in the body but block the effect of estrogen on other tissues treatment with tamoxifen lowers the risk of estrogen receptor positive er positive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ in premenopausal and postmenopausal women at high risk treatment with raloxifene also lowers the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women with either drug the reduced risk lasts for several years or longer after treatment is stopped lower rates of broken bones have been noted in patients taking raloxifene taking tamoxifen increases the risk of hot flashes endometrial cancer stroke cataracts and blood clots especially in the lungs and legs the risk of having these problems increases markedly in women older than 50 years compared with younger women women younger than 50 years who have a high risk of breast cancer may benefit the most from taking tamoxifen the risk of having these problems decreases after tamoxifen is stopped talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this drug taking raloxifene increases the risk of blood clots in the lungs and legs but does not appear to increase the risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis decreased bone density raloxifene lowers the risk of breast cancer for women who have a high or low risk of breast cancer it is not known if raloxifene would have the same effect in women who do not have osteoporosis talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this drug other serms are being studied in clinical trials aromatase inhibitors and inactivators aromatase inhibitors anastrozole letrozole and inactivators exemestane lower the risk of recurrence and of new breast cancers in women who have a history of breast cancer aromatase inhibitors also decrease the risk of breast cancer in women with the following conditions postmenopausal women with a personal history of breast cancer women with no personal history of breast cancer who are 60 years and older have a history of ductal carcinoma in situ with mastectomy or have a high risk of breast cancer based on the gail model tool a tool used to estimate the risk of breast cancer in women with an increased risk of breast cancer taking aromatase inhibitors decreases the amount of estrogen made by the body before menopause estrogen is made by the ovaries and other tissues in a woman s body including the brain fat tissue and skin after menopause the ovaries stop making estrogen but the other tissues do not aromatase inhibitors block the action of an enzyme called aromatase which is used to make all of the body s estrogen aromatase inactivators stop the enzyme from working possible harms from taking aromatase inhibitors include muscle and joint pain osteoporosis hot flashes and feeling very tired risk reducing mastectomy some women who have a high risk of breast cancer may choose to have a risk reducing mastectomy the removal of both breasts when there are no signs of cancer the risk of breast cancer is much lower in these women and most feel less anxious about their risk of breast cancer however it is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling about the different ways to prevent breast cancer before making this decision ovarian ablation the ovaries make most of the estrogen that is made by the body treatments that stop or lower the amount of estrogen made by the ovaries include surgery to remove the ovaries radiation therapy or taking certain drugs this is called ovarian ablation premenopausal women who have a high risk of breast cancer due to certain changes in the brca1 and brca2 genes may choose to have a risk reducing oophorectomy the removal of both ovaries when there are no signs of cancer this decreases the amount of estrogen made by the body and lowers the risk of breast cancer risk reducing oophorectomy also lowers the risk of breast cancer in normal premenopausal women and in women with an increased risk of breast cancer due to radiation to the chest however it is very important to have a cancer risk assessment and counseling before making this decision the sudden drop in estrogen levels may cause the symptoms of menopause to begin these include hot flashes trouble sleeping anxiety and depression long term effects include decreased sex drive vaginal dryness and decreased bone density getting enough exercise women who exercise four or more hours a week have a lower risk of breast cancer the effect of exercise on breast cancer risk may be greatest in premenopausal women who have normal or low body weight it is not clear whether the following affect the risk of breast cancer oral contraceptives certain oral contraceptives contain estrogen some studies have shown that taking oral contraceptives the pill may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer in current users this risk decreases over time other studies have not shown an increased risk of breast cancer in women who take oral contraceptives progestin only contraceptives that are injected or implanted do not appear to increase the risk of breast cancer more studies are needed to know whether progestin only oral contraceptives increase the risk of breast cancer environment studies have not proven that being exposed to certain substances in the environment such as chemicals increases the risk of breast cancer studies have shown that some factors do not affect the risk of breast cancer the following do not affect the risk of breast cancer having an abortion making diet changes such as eating less fat or more fruits and vegetables taking vitamins including fenretinide a type of vitamin a cigarette smoking both active and passive inhaling secondhand smoke using underarm deodorant or antiperspirant taking statins cholesterol lowering drugs taking bisphosphonates drugs used to treat osteoporosis and hypercalcemia by mouth or by intravenous infusion
Keywords: breast, cancer, risk, woman, estrogen, taking, factor, increase, lower, therapy


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for breast cancer
Answer: cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer some cancer prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer but who have an increased risk for cancer other prevention trials are conducted with people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent another cancer of the same type or to lower their chance of developing a new type of cancer other trials are done with healthy volunteers who are not known to have any risk factors for cancer the purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer these may include exercising more or quitting smoking or taking certain medicines vitamins minerals or food supplements new ways to prevent breast cancer are being studied in clinical trials
Keywords: cancer, trial, clinical, prevention, prevent, people, risk, type, way, conducted


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Question: what is are testicular cancer
Answer: key points testicular cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of one or both testicles testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 34 years testicular cancer can usually be cured a condition called cryptorchidism an undescended testicle is a risk factor for testicular cancer testicular cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of one or both testicles the testicles are 2 egg shaped glands inside the scrotum a sac of loose skin that lies directly below the penis the testicles are held within the scrotum by the spermatic cord the spermatic cord also contains the vas deferens and vessels and nerves of the testicles the testicles are the male sex glands and make testosterone and sperm germ cells in the testicles make immature sperm these sperm travel through a network of tubules tiny tubes and larger tubes into the epididymis a long coiled tube next to the testicles this is where the sperm mature and are stored almost all testicular cancers start in the germ cells the two main types of testicular germ cell tumors are seminomas and nonseminomas see the pdq summary on testicular cancer treatment for more information about testicular cancer
Keywords: cancer, testicular, testicle, cell, sperm, germ, tube, cord, make, malignant


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Question: who is at risk for testicular cancer
Answer: testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 34 years testicular cancer is very rare but it is the most common cancer found in men between the ages of 15 and 34 white men are four times more likely than black men to have testicular cancer
Keywords: cancer, men, testicular, common, age, aged, black, found, four, likely


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Question: what is the outlook for testicular cancer
Answer: testicular cancer can usually be cured although the number of new cases of testicular cancer has doubled in the last 40 years the number of deaths caused by testicular cancer has decreased greatly because of better treatments testicular cancer can usually be cured even in late stages of the disease see the pdq summary on testicular cancer treatment for more information
Keywords: cancer, testicular, cured, number, usually, better, case, caused, decreased, doubled


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Question: who is at risk for testicular cancer
Answer: a condition called cryptorchidism an undescended testicle is a risk factor for testicular cancer anything that increases the chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesn t mean that you will not get cancer talk to your doctor if you think you may be at risk risk factors for testicular cancer include the following having cryptorchidism an undescended testicle having a testicle that is not normal such as a small testicle that does not work the way it should having testicular carcinoma in situ being white having a personal or family history of testicular cancer having klinefelter syndrome men who have cryptorchidism a testicle that is not normal or testicular carcinoma in situ have an increased risk of testicular cancer in one or both testicles and need to be followed closely
Keywords: risk, cancer, testicular, testicle, factor, cryptorchidism, called, carcinoma, mean, normal


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Question: what is are adult primary liver cancer
Answer: key points adult primary liver cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the liver there are two types of adult primary liver cancer having hepatitis or cirrhosis can affect the risk of adult primary liver cancer signs and symptoms of adult primary liver cancer include a lump or pain on the right side tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to detect find and diagnose adult primary liver cancer certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options adult primary liver cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the liver the liver is one of the largest organs in the body it has four lobes and fills the upper right side of the abdomen inside the rib cage three of the many important functions of the liver are to filter harmful substances from the blood so they can be passed from the body in stools and urine to make bile to help digest fat that comes from food to store glycogen sugar which the body uses for energy there are two types of adult primary liver cancer the two types of adult primary liver cancer are hepatocellular carcinoma cholangiocarcinoma bile duct cancer see the pdq summary on bile duct cancer treatment for more information the most common type of adult primary liver cancer is hepatocellular carcinoma this type of liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide this summary is about the treatment of primary liver cancer cancer that begins in the liver treatment of cancer that begins in other parts of the body and spreads to the liver is not covered in this summary primary liver cancer can occur in both adults and children however treatment for children is different than treatment for adults see the pdq summary on childhood liver cancer treatment for more information
Keywords: cancer, liver, adult, primary, type, body, summary, bile, two, right


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Question: who is at risk for adult primary liver cancer
Answer: having hepatitis or cirrhosis can affect the risk of adult primary liver cancer anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk the following are risk factors for adult primary liver cancer having hepatitis b or hepatitis c having both hepatitis b and hepatitis c increases the risk even more having cirrhosis which can be caused by hepatitis especially hepatitis c or drinking large amounts of alcohol for many years or being an alcoholic having metabolic syndrome a set of conditions that occur together including extra fat around the abdomen high blood sugar high blood pressure high levels of triglycerides and low levels of high density lipoproteins in the blood having liver injury that is long lasting especially if it leads to cirrhosis having hemochromatosis a condition in which the body takes up and stores more iron than it needs the extra iron is stored in the liver heart and pancreas eating foods tainted with aflatoxin poison from a fungus that can grow on foods such as grains and nuts that have not been stored properly
Keywords: risk, hepatitis, cancer, liver, factor, high, adult, blood, cirrhosis, primary


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Question: what are the symptoms of adult primary liver cancer
Answer: signs and symptoms of adult primary liver cancer include a lump or pain on the right side these and other signs and symptoms may be caused by adult primary liver cancer or by other conditions check with your doctor if you have any of the following a hard lump on the right side just below the rib cage discomfort in the upper abdomen on the right side a swollen abdomen pain near the right shoulder blade or in the back jaundice yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes easy bruising or bleeding unusual tiredness or weakness nausea and vomiting loss of appetite or feelings of fullness after eating a small meal weight loss for no known reason pale chalky bowel movements and dark urine fever
Keywords: right, adult, cancer, liver, primary, side, symptom, abdomen, loss, lump


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Question: how to diagnose adult primary liver cancer
Answer: tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to detect find and diagnose adult primary liver cancer the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patients health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken serum tumor marker test a procedure in which a sample of blood is examined to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs tissues or tumor cells in the body certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the blood these are called tumor markers an increased level of alpha fetoprotein afp in the blood may be a sign of liver cancer other cancers and certain noncancerous conditions including cirrhosis and hepatitis may also increase afp levels sometimes the afp level is normal even when there is liver cancer liver function tests a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by the liver a higher than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of liver cancer ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the abdomen taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography images may be taken at three different times after the dye is injected to get the best picture of abnormal areas in the liver this is called triple phase ct a spiral or helical ct scan makes a series of very detailed pictures of areas inside the body using an x ray machine that scans the body in a spiral path mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the liver this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri to create detailed pictures of blood vessels in and near the liver dye is injected into a vein this procedure is called mra magnetic resonance angiography images may be taken at three different times after the dye is injected to get the best picture of abnormal areas in the liver this is called triple phase mri ultrasound exam a procedure in which high energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes the echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram the picture can be printed to be looked at later biopsy the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer procedures used to collect the sample of cells or tissues include the following fine needle aspiration biopsy the removal of cells tissue or fluid using a thin needle core needle biopsy the removal of cells or tissue using a slightly wider needle laparoscopy a surgical procedure to look at the organs inside the abdomen to check for signs of disease small incisions cuts are made in the wall of the abdomen and a laparoscope a thin lighted tube is inserted into one of the incisions another instrument is inserted through the same or another incision to remove the tissue samples a biopsy is not always needed to diagnose adult primary liver cancer
Keywords: liver, procedure, cancer, picture, tissue, blood, body, called, sign, area


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Question: what is the outlook for adult primary liver cancer
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the stage of the cancer the size of the tumor whether it affects part or all of the liver or has spread to other places in the body how well the liver is working the patients general health including whether there is cirrhosis of the liver
Keywords: liver, affect, cancer, chance, option, prognosis, recovery, whether, cirrhosis, depend


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Question: what are the stages of adult primary liver cancer
Answer: key points after adult primary liver cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the liver or to other parts of the body there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body the barcelona clinic liver cancer staging system may be used to stage adult primary liver cancer the following groups are used to plan treatment bclc stages 0 a and b bclc stages c and d after adult primary liver cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the liver or to other parts of the body the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the liver or to other parts of the body is called staging the information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment the following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the chest abdomen and pelvis taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if primary liver cancer spreads to the lung the cancer cells in the lung are actually liver cancer cells the disease is metastatic liver cancer not lung cancer the barcelona clinic liver cancer staging system may be used to stage adult primary liver cancer there are several staging systems for liver cancer the barcelona clinic liver cancer bclc staging system is widely used and is described below this system is used to predict the patient s chance of recovery and to plan treatment based on the following whether the cancer has spread within the liver or to other parts of the body how well the liver is working the general health and wellness of the patient the symptoms caused by the cancer the bclc staging system has five stages stage 0 very early stage a early stage b intermediate stage c advanced stage d end stage the following groups are used to plan treatment bclc stages 0 a and b treatment to cure the cancer is given for bclc stages 0 a and b bclc stages c and d treatment to relieve the symptoms caused by liver cancer and improve the patient s quality of life is given for bclc stages c and d treatments are not likely to cure the cancer
Keywords: cancer, body, liver, stage, spread, system, part, tumor, used, bclc


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for adult primary liver cancer
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, part, new, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what are the treatments for adult primary liver cancer
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with adult primary liver cancer patients with liver cancer are treated by a team of specialists who are experts in treating liver cancer seven types of standard treatment are used surveillance surgery liver transplant ablation therapy embolization therapy targeted therapy radiation therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with adult primary liver cancer different types of treatments are available for patients with adult primary liver cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment patients with liver cancer are treated by a team of specialists who are experts in treating liver cancer the patient s treatment will be overseen by a medical oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating people with cancer the medical oncologist may refer the patient to other health professionals who have special training in treating patients with liver cancer these may include the following specialists hepatologist specialist in liver disease surgical oncologist transplant surgeon radiation oncologist interventional radiologist a specialist who diagnoses and treats diseases using imaging and the smallest incisions possible pathologist seven types of standard treatment are used surveillance surveillance for lesions smaller than 1 centimeter found during screening follow up every three months is common surgery a partial hepatectomy surgery to remove the part of the liver where cancer is found may be done a wedge of tissue an entire lobe or a larger part of the liver along with some of the healthy tissue around it is removed the remaining liver tissue takes over the functions of the liver and may regrow liver transplant in a liver transplant the entire liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donated liver a liver transplant may be done when the disease is in the liver only and a donated liver can be found if the patient has to wait for a donated liver other treatment is given as needed ablation therapy ablation therapy removes or destroys tissue different types of ablation therapy are used for liver cancer radiofrequency ablation the use of special needles that are inserted directly through the skin or through an incision in the abdomen to reach the tumor high energy radio waves heat the needles and tumor which kills cancer cells microwave therapy a type of treatment in which the tumor is exposed to high temperatures created by microwaves this can damage and kill cancer cells or make them more sensitive to the effects of radiation and certain anticancer drugs percutaneous ethanol injection a cancer treatment in which a small needle is used to inject ethanol pure alcohol directly into a tumor to kill cancer cells several treatments may be needed usually local anesthesia is used but if the patient has many tumors in the liver general anesthesia may be used cryoablation a treatment that uses an instrument to freeze and destroy cancer cells this type of treatment is also called cryotherapy and cryosurgery the doctor may use ultrasound to guide the instrument electroporation therapy a treatment that sends electrical pulses through an electrode placed in a tumor to kill cancer cells electroporation therapy is being studied in clinical trials embolization therapy embolization therapy is the use of substances to block or decrease the flow of blood through the hepatic artery to the tumor when the tumor does not get the oxygen and nutrients it needs it will not continue to grow embolization therapy is used for patients who cannot have surgery to remove the tumor or ablation therapy and whose tumor has not spread outside the liver the liver receives blood from the hepatic portal vein and the hepatic artery blood that comes into the liver from the hepatic portal vein usually goes to the healthy liver tissue blood that comes from the hepatic artery usually goes to the tumor when the hepatic artery is blocked during embolization therapy the healthy liver tissue continues to receive blood from the hepatic portal vein there are two main types of embolization therapy transarterial embolization tae a small incision cut is made in the inner thigh and a catheter thin flexible tube is inserted and threaded up into the hepatic artery once the catheter is in place a substance that blocks the hepatic artery and stops blood flow to the tumor is injected transarterial chemoembolization tace this procedure is like tae except an anticancer drug is also given the procedure can be done by attaching the anticancer drug to small beads that are injected into the hepatic artery or by injecting the anticancer drug through the catheter into the hepatic artery and then injecting the substance to block the hepatic artery most of the anticancer drug is trapped near the tumor and only a small amount of the drug reaches other parts of the body this type of treatment is also called chemoembolization targeted therapy targeted therapy is a treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells adult liver cancer may be treated with a targeted therapy drug that stops cells from dividing and prevents the growth of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow see drugs approved for liver cancer for more information radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer certain ways of giving radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue these types of external radiation therapy include the following conformal radiation therapy conformal radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy that uses a computer to make a 3 dimensional 3 d picture of the tumor and shapes the radiation beams to fit the tumor this allows a high dose of radiation to reach the tumor and causes less damage to nearby healthy tissue stereotactic body radiation therapy stereotactic body radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy special equipment is used to place the patient in the same position for each radiation treatment once a day for several days a radiation machine aims a larger than usual dose of radiation directly at the tumor by having the patient in the same position for each treatment there is less damage to nearby healthy tissue this procedure is also called stereotactic external beam radiation therapy and stereotaxic radiation therapy proton beam radiation therapy proton beam therapy is a type of high energy external radiation therapy a radiation therapy machine aims streams of protons tiny invisible positively charged particles at the cancer cells to kill them this type of treatment causes less damage to nearby healthy tissue internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated external radiation therapy is used to treat adult primary liver cancer new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for adult primary liver cancer stages 0 a and b adult primary liver cancer treatment of stages 0 a and b adult primary liver cancer may include the following surveillance for lesions smaller than 1 centimeter partial hepatectomy total hepatectomy and liver transplant ablation of the tumor using one of the following methods radiofrequency ablation microwave therapy percutaneous ethanol injection cryoablation a clinical trial of electroporation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage 0 adult primary liver cancer bclc stage a adult primary liver cancer bclc and stage b adult primary liver cancer bclc for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stages c and d adult primary liver cancer treatment of stages c and d adult primary liver cancer may include the following embolization therapy using one of the following methods transarterial embolization tae transarterial chemoembolization tace targeted therapy radiation therapy a clinical trial of targeted therapy after chemoembolization or combined with chemotherapy a clinical trial of new targeted therapy drugs a clinical trial of targeted therapy with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy a clinical trial of stereotactic body radiation therapy or proton beam radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage c adult primary liver cancer bclc and stage d adult primary liver cancer bclc for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cancer, therapy, liver, trial, clinical, radiation, type, patient, tumor, adult


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Question: what are the treatments for chronic eosinophilic leukemia
Answer: treatment of chronic eosinophilic leukemia may include the following bone marrow transplant biologic therapy using interferon alfa a clinical trial of a new treatment check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with chronic eosinophilic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, chronic, eosinophilic, leukemia, nci, search, using, cancer, check


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Question: how to prevent anal cancer
Answer: key points avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer the following are risk factors for anal cancer anal hpv infection certain medical conditions history of cervical vaginal or vulvar cancer hiv infection aids immunosuppression certain sexual practices cigarette smoking the following protective factor decreases the risk of anal cancer hpv vaccine it is not clear if the following protective factor decreases the risk of anal cancer condom use cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer new ways to prevent anal cancer are being studied in clinical trials avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer avoiding cancer risk factors may help prevent certain cancers risk factors include smoking being overweight and not getting enough exercise increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking and exercising may also help prevent some cancers talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer the following are risk factors for anal cancer anal hpv infection being infected with human papillomavirus hpv is the main risk factor for anal cancer being infected with hpv can lead to squamous cell carcinoma of the anus the most common type of anal cancer about nine out of every ten cases of anal cancer are found in patients with anal hpv infection patients with healthy immune systems are usually able to fight hpv infections patients with weakened immune systems who are infected with hpv have a higher risk of anal cancer certain medical conditions history of cervical vaginal or vulvar cancer cervical cancer vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer are related to hpv infection women who have had cervical vaginal or vulvar cancer have a higher risk of anal cancer hiv infection aids being infected with human immunodeficiency virus hiv is a strong risk factor for anal cancer hiv is the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome aids hiv weakens the body s immune system and its ability to fight infection hpv infection of the anus is common among patients who are hiv positive the risk of anal cancer is higher in men who are hiv positive and have sex with men compared with men who are hiv negative and have sex with men women who are hiv positive also have an increased risk of anal cancer compared with women who are hiv negative studies show that intravenous drug use or cigarette smoking may further increase the risk of anal cancer in patients who are hiv positive immunosuppression immunosuppression is a condition that weakens the body s immune system and its ability to fight infections and other diseases chronic long term immunosuppression may increase the risk of anal cancer because it lowers the body s ability to fight hpv infection patients who have an organ transplant and receive immunosuppressive medicine to prevent organ rejection have an increased risk of anal cancer having an autoimmune disorder such as crohn disease or psoriasis may increase the risk of anal cancer it is not clear if the increased risk is due to the autoimmune condition the treatment for the condition or a combination of both certain sexual practices the following sexual practices increase the risk of anal cancer because they increase the chance of being infected with hpv having receptive anal intercourse anal sex having many sexual partners sex between men men and women who have a history of anal warts or other sexually transmitted diseases also have an increased risk of anal cancer cigarette smoking studies show that cigarette smoking increases the risk of anal cancer studies also show that current smokers have a higher risk of anal cancer than smokers who have quit or people who have never smoked the following protective factor decreases the risk of anal cancer hpv vaccine the human papillomavirus hpv vaccine is used to prevent anal cancer cervical cancer vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer caused by hpv it is also used to prevent lesions caused by hpv that may become cancer in the future studies show that being vaccinated against hpv lowers the risk of anal cancer the vaccine may work best when it is given before a person is exposed to hpv it is not clear if the following protective factor decreases the risk of anal cancer condom use it is not known if the use of condoms protects against anal hpv infection this is because not enough studies have been done to prove this cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer some cancer prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer but who have an increased risk for cancer other prevention trials are conducted with people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent another cancer of the same type or to lower their chance of developing a new type of cancer other trials are done with healthy volunteers who are not known to have any risk factors for cancer the purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer these may include eating fruits and vegetables exercising quitting smoking or taking certain medicines vitamins minerals or food supplements new ways to prevent anal cancer are being studied in clinical trials clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country information about clinical trials for anal cancer prevention can be found in the clinical trials section of the nci web site
Keywords: cancer, anal, risk, hpv, factor, prevent, infection, trial, hiv, clinical


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Question: what is are langerhans cell histiocytosis
Answer: key points langerhans cell histiocytosis is a type of cancer that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body family history or having a parent who was exposed to certain chemicals may increase the risk of lch the signs and symptoms of lch depend on where it is in the body skin and nails mouth bone lymph nodes and thymus endocrine system central nervous system cns liver and spleen lung bone marrow tests that examine the organs and body systems where lch may occur are used to detect find and diagnose lch certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options langerhans cell histiocytosis is a type of cancer that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body langerhans cell histiocytosis lch is a rare cancer that begins in lch cells a type of dendritic cell which fights infection sometimes there are mutations changes in lch cells as they form these include mutations of the braf gene these changes may make the lch cells grow and multiply quickly this causes lch cells to build up in certain parts of the body where they can damage tissue or form lesions lch is not a disease of the langerhans cells that normally occur in the skin lch may occur at any age but is most common in young children treatment of lch in children is different from treatment of lch in adults the treatments for lch in children and adults are described in separate sections of this summary check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with childhood langerhans cell histiocytosis for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: lch, cell, langerhans, body, child, histiocytosis, cancer, form, trial, type


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Question: who is at risk for langerhans cell histiocytosis
Answer: anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesn t mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk risk factors for lch include the following having a parent who was exposed to certain chemicals such as benzene having a parent who was exposed to metal granite or wood dust in the workplace a family history of cancer including lch having infections as a newborn having a personal history or family history of thyroid disease smoking especially in young adults being hispanic
Keywords: risk, factor, cancer, history, exposed, family, get, lch, mean, parent


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Question: what is the outlook for langerhans cell histiocytosis
Answer: lch in organs such as the skin bones lymph nodes or pituitary gland usually gets better with treatment and is called low risk lch in the spleen liver or bone marrow is harder to treat and is called high risk the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following whether there are mutations of the braf gene how old the patient is when diagnosed with lch how many organs or body systems the cancer affects whether the cancer is found in the liver spleen bone marrow or certain bones in the skull how quickly the cancer responds to initial treatment whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has come back recurred in infants up to one year of age lch may go away without treatment
Keywords: bone, cancer, lch, whether, called, diagnosed, liver, marrow, organ, risk


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Question: what are the treatments for langerhans cell histiocytosis
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with langerhans cell histiocytosis lch children with lch should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating childhood cancer some cancer treatments cause side effects months or years after treatment for childhood cancer has ended nine types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy surgery radiation therapy photodynamic therapy biologic therapy targeted therapy other drug therapy stem cell transplant observation new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their treatment when treatment of lch stops new lesions may appear or old lesions may come back follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with langerhans cell histiocytosis lch different types of treatments are available for patients with lch some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment whenever possible patients should take part in a clinical trial in order to receive new types of treatment for lch some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the nci website choosing the most appropriate treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient family and health care team children with lch should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating childhood cancer treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer the pediatric oncologist works with other pediatric healthcare providers who are experts in treating children with lch and who specialize in certain areas of medicine these may include the following specialists pediatrician primary care physician pediatric surgeon pediatric hematologist radiation oncologist neurologist endocrinologist pediatric nurse specialist rehabilitation specialist psychologist social worker some cancer treatments cause side effects months or years after treatment for childhood cancer has ended side effects from cancer treatment that begin during or after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects late effects of cancer treatment may include the following slow growth and development hearing loss bone tooth liver and lung problems changes in mood feeling learning thinking or memory second cancers such as leukemia retinoblastoma ewing sarcoma brain or liver cancer some late effects may be treated or controlled it is important to talk with your child s doctors about the effects cancer treatment can have on your child see the pdq summary on late effects of treatment for childhood cancer for more information many patients with multisystem lch have late effects caused by treatment or by the disease itself these patients often have long term health problems that affect their quality of life nine types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly onto the skin or into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy chemotherapy agents given by injection or by mouth are used to treat lch chemotherapy agents include vinblastine cytarabine cladribine and methotrexate nitrogen mustard is a drug that is put directly on the skin to treat small lch lesions surgery surgery may be used to remove lch lesions and a small amount of nearby healthy tissue curettage is a type of surgery that uses a curette a sharp spoon shaped tool to scrape lch cells from bone when there is severe liver or lung damage the entire organ may be removed and replaced with a healthy liver or lung from a donor radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer in lch a special lamp may be used to send ultraviolet b uvb radiation toward lch skin lesions photodynamic therapy photodynamic therapy is a cancer treatment that uses a drug and a certain type of laser light to kill cancer cells a drug that is not active until it is exposed to light is injected into a vein the drug collects more in cancer cells than in normal cells for lch laser light is aimed at the skin and the drug becomes active and kills the cancer cells photodynamic therapy causes little damage to healthy tissue patients who have photodynamic therapy should not spend too much time in the sun in one type of photodynamic therapy called psoralen and ultraviolet a puva therapy the patient receives a drug called psoralen and then ultraviolet a radiation is directed to the skin biologic therapy biologic therapy is a treatment that uses the patients immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the bodys natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy interferon is a type of biologic therapy used to treat lch of the skin immunomodulators are also a type of biologic therapy thalidomide is an immunomodulator used to treat lch targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to find and attack lch cells without harming normal cells imatinib mesylate is a type of targeted therapy called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor it stops blood stem cells from turning into dendritic cells that may become cancer cells other types of kinase inhibitors that affect cells with mutations changes in the braf gene such as dabrafenib and vemurafenib are being studied in clinical trials for lch a family of genes called ras genes may cause cancer when they are mutated ras genes make proteins that are involved in cell signaling pathways cell growth and cell death ras pathway inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy being studied in clinical trials they block the actions of a mutated ras gene or its protein and may stop the growth of cancer other drug therapy other drugs used to treat lch include the following steroid therapy such as prednisone is used to treat lch lesions bisphosphonate therapy such as pamidronate zoledronate or alendronate is used to treat lch lesions of the bone and to lessen bone pain nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs nsaids are drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen that are commonly used to decrease fever swelling pain and redness sometimes an nsaid called indomethacin is used to treat lch retinoids such as isotretinoin are drugs related to vitamin a that can slow the growth of lch cells in the skin the retinoids are taken by mouth stem cell transplant stem cell transplant is a method of giving chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the lch treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body s blood cells observation observation is closely monitoring a patient s condition without giving any treatment until signs or symptoms appear or change new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options for childhood lch and the treatment options for adult lch sections for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s clinical trials database when treatment of lch stops new lesions may appear or old lesions may come back many patients with lch get better with treatment however when treatment stops new lesions may appear or old lesions may come back this is called reactivation recurrence and may occur within one year after stopping treatment patients with multisystem disease are more likely to have a reactivation more common sites of reactivation are bone ears or skin diabetes insipidus also may develop less common sites of reactivation include lymph nodes bone marrow spleen liver or lung some patients may have more than one reactivation over a number of years follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose lch may be repeated this is to see how well the treatment is working and if there are any new lesions these tests may include physical exam neurological exam ultrasound exam mri ct scan pet scan other tests that may be needed include brain stem auditory evoked response baer test a test that measures the brain s response to clicking sounds or certain tones pulmonary function test pft a test to see how well the lungs are working it measures how much air the lungs can hold and how quickly air moves into and out of the lungs it also measures how much oxygen is used and how much carbon dioxide is given off during breathing this is also called a lung function test chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for lch in children treatment of low risk disease in children skin lesions treatment of childhood langerhans cell histiocytosis lch skin lesions may include the following observation when severe rashes pain ulceration or bleeding occur treatment may include the following steroid therapy chemotherapy given by mouth nitrogen mustard applied to the skin photodynamic therapy with psoralen and ultraviolet a puva therapy uvb radiation therapy lesions in bones or other low risk organs treatment of childhood lch bone lesions in the front sides or back of the skull or in any other single bone may include the following surgery curettage with or without steroid therapy low dose radiation therapy for lesions that affect nearby organs treatment of childhood lch lesions in bones around the ears or eyes is done to lower the risk of diabetes insipidus and other long term problems treatment may include chemotherapy and steroid therapy surgery curettage treatment of childhood lch lesions of the spine or thigh bone lesions may include observation low dose radiation therapy chemotherapy for lesions that spread from the spine into nearby tissue surgery to strengthen the weakened bone by bracing or fusing the bones together treatment of two or more bone lesions may include chemotherapy and steroid therapy treatment of two or more bone lesions combined with childhood lch skin lesions lymph node lesions or diabetes insipidus may include chemotherapy with or without steroid therapy bisphosphonate therapy treatment of high risk disease in children treatment of childhood lch multisystem disease lesions in the spleen liver or bone marrow with or without skin bone lymph node lung or pituitary gland lesions may include chemotherapy and steroid therapy higher doses of combination chemotherapy and steroid therapy may be given to patients whose tumors do not respond to initial chemotherapy a liver transplant for patients with severe liver damage treatment of childhood lch central nervous system cns lesions may include chemotherapy with or without steroid therapy steroid therapy treatment of lch cns neurodegenerative syndrome may include retinoid therapy chemotherapy treatment options for recurrent refractory and progressive childhood lch in children recurrent lch is cancer that cannot be detected for some time after treatment and then comes back treatment of recurrent childhood lch in the skin bone lymph nodes gastrointestinal tract pituitary gland or central nervous system low risk organs may include chemotherapy with or without steroid therapy bisphosphonate therapy nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drug nsaid therapy with indomethacin a clinical trial of a targeted therapy refractory lch is cancer that does not get better with treatment treatment of refractory childhood lch in high risk organs and in multisystem low risk organs may include high dose chemotherapy treatment of childhood lch in multisystem high risk organs that did not respond to chemotherapy may include stem cell transplant progressive lch is cancer that continues to grow during treatment treatment of progressive childhood lch in patients with multisystem disease may include anticancer drugs that have not been given to the patient before treatment options for lch in adults treatment options for lch of the lung in adults treatment for lch of the lung in adults may include quitting smoking for all patients who smoke lung damage will get worse over time in patients who do not quit smoking in patients who quit smoking lung damage may get better or it may get worse over time chemotherapy lung transplant for patients with severe lung damage sometimes lch of the lung will go away or not get worse even if it s not treated treatment options for lch of the bone in adults treatment for lch that affects only the bone in adults may include surgery with or without steroid therapy chemotherapy with or without low dose radiation therapy radiation therapy bisphosphonate therapy for severe bone pain treatment options for lch of the skin in adults treatment for lch that affects only the skin in adults may include surgery steroid or other drug therapy applied or injected into the skin photodynamic therapy with psoralen and ultraviolet a puva radiation uvb radiation therapy chemotherapy or biologic therapy given by mouth such as methotrexate thalidomide or interferon retinoid therapy may be used if the skin lesions do not get better with other treatment treatment for lch that affects the skin and other body systems in adults may include chemotherapy treatment options for single system and multisystem lch in adults treatment of single system and multisystem disease in adults may include chemotherapy with or without a drug given to weaken the immune system bisphosphonate therapy for severe bone pain a clinical trial of a targeted therapy
Keywords: lch, therapy, cancer, cell, trial, clinical, chemotherapy, lesion, patient, include


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for langerhans cell histiocytosis
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options for childhood lch and the treatment options for adult lch sections for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s clinical trials database
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, part, new, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what is are breast cancer
Answer: key points breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in american women different factors increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast the breast is made up of lobes and ducts each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes which have many smaller sections called lobules lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk the lobes lobules and bulbs are linked by thin tubes called ducts each breast also contains blood vessels and lymph vessels the lymph vessels carry an almost colorless fluid called lymph lymph vessels lead to organs called lymph nodes lymph nodes are small bean shaped structures that are found throughout the body they filter substances in lymph and help fight infection and disease clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla under the arm above the collarbone and in the chest see the following pdq summaries for more information about breast cancer breast cancer prevention breast cancer treatment genetics of breast and gynecologic cancers breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in american women women in the united states get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer breast cancer is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women breast cancer occurs more often in white women than in black women however black women are more likely than white women to die from the disease breast cancer occurs in men also but the number of cases is small
Keywords: cancer, breast, lymph, woman, called, vessel, lobe, lobule, node, second


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Question: who is at risk for breast cancer
Answer: different factors increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor anything that decreases your chance of getting a disease is called a protective factor for information about risk factors and protective factors for breast cancer see the pdq summary on breast cancer prevention
Keywords: factor, breast, cancer, risk, anything, called, chance, decrease, getting, protective


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for breast cancer
Answer: other screening tests are being studied in clinical trials thermography thermography is a procedure in which a special camera that senses heat is used to record the temperature of the skin that covers the breasts a computer makes a map of the breast showing the changes in temperature tumors can cause temperature changes that may show up on the thermogram there have been no clinical trials of thermography to find out how well it detects breast cancer or if having the procedure decreases the risk of dying from breast cancer tissue sampling breast tissue sampling is taking cells from breast tissue to check under a microscope abnormal cells in breast fluid have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies scientists are studying whether breast tissue sampling can be used to find breast cancer at an early stage or predict the risk of developing breast cancer three ways of taking tissue samples are being studied fine needle aspiration a thin needle is inserted into the breast tissue around the areola darkened area around the nipple to take out a sample of cells and fluid nipple aspiration the use of gentle suction to collect fluid through the nipple this is done with a device similar to the breast pumps used by women who are breast feeding ductal lavage a hair size catheter tube is inserted into the nipple and a small amount of salt water is released into the duct the water picks up breast cells and is removed screening clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: breast, cancer, tissue, clinical, trial, cell, nipple, risk, sampling, temperature


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Question: what is are childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: key points childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes a type of white blood cell leukemia may affect red blood cells white blood cells and platelets past treatment for cancer and certain genetic conditions affect the risk of having childhood all signs of childhood all include fever and bruising tests that examine the blood and bone marrow are used to detect find and diagnose childhood all certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes a type of white blood cell childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia also called all or acute lymphocytic leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow this type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated all is the most common type of cancer in children leukemia may affect red blood cells white blood cells and platelets in a healthy child the bone marrow makes blood stem cells immature cells that become mature blood cells over time a blood stem cell may become a myeloid stem cell or a lymphoid stem cell a myeloid stem cell becomes one of three types of mature blood cells red blood cells that carry oxygen and other substances to all tissues of the body platelets that form blood clots to stop bleeding white blood cells that fight infection and disease a lymphoid stem cell becomes a lymphoblast cell and then one of three types of lymphocytes white blood cells b lymphocytes that make antibodies to help fight infection t lymphocytes that help b lymphocytes make the antibodies that help fight infection natural killer cells that attack cancer cells and viruses in a child with all too many stem cells become lymphoblasts b lymphocytes or t lymphocytes the cells do not work like normal lymphocytes and are not able to fight infection very well these cells are cancer leukemia cells also as the number of leukemia cells increases in the blood and bone marrow there is less room for healthy white blood cells red blood cells and platelets this may lead to infection anemia and easy bleeding this summary is about acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children adolescents and young adults see the following pdq summaries for information about other types of leukemia childhood acute myeloid leukemia other myeloid malignancies treatment adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment chronic lymphocytic leukemia treatment adult acute myeloid leukemia treatment chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment hairy cell leukemia treatment
Keywords: cell, blood, leukemia, acute, lymphocyte, type, cancer, childhood, stem, white


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website chimeric antigen receptor car t cell therapy car t cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that changes the patient s t cells a type of immune system cell so they will attack certain proteins on the surface of cancer cells t cells are taken from the patient and special receptors are added to their surface in the laboratory the changed cells are called chimeric antigen receptor car t cells the car t cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion the car t cells multiply in the patient s blood and attack cancer cells car t cell therapy is being studied in the treatment of childhood all that has relapsed come back a second time patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cell, cancer, patient, car, new, part, treatment, standard


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Question: who is at risk for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: key points past treatment for cancer and certain genetic conditions affect the risk of having childhood all anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your child s doctor if you think your child may be at risk possible risk factors for all include the following being exposed to x rays before birth being exposed to radiation past treatment with chemotherapy having certain genetic conditions such as down syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 bloom syndrome fanconi anemia ataxia telangiectasia li fraumeni syndrome constitutional mismatch repair deficiency mutations in certain genes that stop dna from repairing itself which leads to the growth of cancers at an early age having certain changes in the chromosomes or genes risk groups in childhood all risk groups are used to plan treatment relapsed childhood all is cancer that has come back after it has been treated in childhood all risk groups are used to plan treatment there are three risk groups in childhood all they are described as standard low risk includes children aged 1 to younger than 10 years who have a white blood cell count of less than 50 000 l at the time of diagnosis high risk includes children 10 years and older and or children who have a white blood cell count of 50 000 l or more at the time of diagnosis very high risk includes children younger than age 1 children with certain changes in the genes children who have a slow response to initial treatment and children who have signs of leukemia after the first 4 weeks of treatment other factors that affect the risk group include the following whether the leukemia cells began from b lymphocytes or t lymphocytes whether there are certain changes in the chromosomes or genes of the lymphocytes how quickly and how low the leukemia cell count drops after initial treatment whether leukemia cells are found in the cerebrospinal fluid at the time of diagnosis it is important to know the risk group in order to plan treatment children with high risk or very highrisk all usually receive more anticancer drugs and or higher doses of anticancer drugs than children with standard risk all relapsed childhood all is cancer that has come back after it has been treated the leukemia may come back in the blood and bone marrow brain spinal cord testicles or other parts of the body refractory childhood all is cancer that does not respond to treatment
Keywords: risk, child, childhood, cancer, certain, group, leukemia, cell, factor, gene


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Question: what are the treatments for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all children with all should have their treatment planned by a team of doctors who are experts in treating childhood leukemia children and adolescents may have treatment related side effects that appear months or years after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia the treatment of childhood all usually has three phases four types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy radiation therapy chemotherapy with stem cell transplant targeted therapy treatment is given to kill leukemia cells that have spread or may spread to the brain spinal cord or testicles new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials chimeric antigen receptor car t cell therapy patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all different types of treatment are available for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia all some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment because cancer in children is rare taking part in a clinical trial should be considered some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment children with all should have their treatment planned by a team of doctors who are experts in treating childhood leukemia treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer the pediatric oncologist works with other pediatric health professionals who are experts in treating children with leukemia and who specialize in certain areas of medicine these may include the following specialists pediatrician hematologist medical oncologist pediatric surgeon radiation oncologist neurologist pathologist radiologist pediatric nurse specialist social worker rehabilitation specialist psychologist child life specialist children and adolescents may have treatment related side effects that appear months or years after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia regular follow up exams are very important treatment can cause side effects long after it has ended these are called late effects late effects of cancer treatment may include physical problems including problems with the heart blood vessels liver or bones and fertility when dexrazoxane is given with chemotherapy drugs called anthracyclines the risk of late heart effects is lessened changes in mood feelings thinking learning or memory children younger than 4 years who have received radiation therapy to the brain have a higher risk of these effects second cancers new types of cancer or other conditions such as brain tumors thyroid cancer acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome some late effects may be treated or controlled it is important to talk with your child s doctors about the possible late effects caused by some treatments see the pdq summary on late effects of treatment for childhood cancer the treatment of childhood all usually has three phases the treatment of childhood all is done in phases remission induction this is the first phase of treatment the goal is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow this puts the leukemia into remission consolidation intensification this is the second phase of treatment it begins once the leukemia is in remission the goal of consolidation intensification therapy is to kill any leukemia cells that remain in the body and may cause a relapse maintenance this is the third phase of treatment the goal is to kill any remaining leukemia cells that may regrow and cause a relapse often the cancer treatments are given in lower doses than those used during the remission induction and consolidation intensification phases not taking medication as ordered by the doctor during maintenance therapy increases the chance the cancer will come back this is also called the continuation therapy phase four types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid intrathecal an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy combination chemotherapy is treatment using more than one anticancer drug the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the child s risk group children with high risk all receive more anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs than children with standard risk all intrathecal chemotherapy may be used to treat childhood all that has spread or may spread to the brain and spinal cord see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type of cancer being treated external radiation therapy may be used to treat childhood all that has spread or may spread to the brain spinal cord or testicles it may also be used to prepare the bone marrow for a stem cell transplant chemotherapy with stem cell transplant stem cell transplant is a method of giving high doses of chemotherapy and sometimes total body irradiation and then replacing the blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of a donor after the patient receives treatment the donor s stem cells are given to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the patient s blood cells the stem cell donor doesn t have to be related to the patient stem cell transplant is rarely used as initial treatment for children and adolescents with all it is used more often as part of treatment for all that relapses comes back after treatment see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information targeted therapy targeted therapy is a treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells tyrosine kinase inhibitors tkis are targeted therapy drugs that block the enzyme tyrosine kinase which causes stem cells to become more white blood cells or blasts than the body needs imatinib mesylate is a tki used in the treatment of children with philadelphia chromosome positive all dasatinib and ruxolitinib are tkis that are being studied in the treatment of newly diagnosed high risk all monoclonal antibody therapy is a cancer treatment that uses antibodies made in the laboratory from a single type of immune system cell these antibodies can identify substances on cancer cells or normal substances that may help cancer cells grow the antibodies attach to the substances and kill the cancer cells block their growth or keep them from spreading monoclonal antibodies are given by infusion they may be used alone or to carry drugs toxins or radioactive material directly to cancer cells blinatumomab and inotuzumab are monoclonal antibodies being studied in the treatment of refractory childhood all new kinds of targeted therapies are also being studied in the treatment of childhood all see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information treatment is given to kill leukemia cells that have spread or may spread to the brain spinal cord or testicles treatment to kill leukemia cells or prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord central nervous system cns is called cns directed therapy chemotherapy may be used to treat leukemia cells that have spread or may spread to the brain and spinal cord because standard doses of chemotherapy may not reach leukemia cells in the cns the cells are able to hide in the cns systemic chemotherapy given in high doses or intrathecal chemotherapy into the cerebrospinal fluid is able to reach leukemia cells in the cns sometimes external radiation therapy to the brain is also given these treatments are given in addition to treatment that is used to kill leukemia cells in the rest of the body all children with all receive cns directed therapy as part of induction therapy and consolidation intensification therapy and sometimes during maintenance therapy if the leukemia cells spread to the testicles treatment includes high doses of systemic chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website chimeric antigen receptor car t cell therapy car t cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that changes the patient s t cells a type of immune system cell so they will attack certain proteins on the surface of cancer cells t cells are taken from the patient and special receptors are added to their surface in the laboratory the changed cells are called chimeric antigen receptor car t cells the car t cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion the car t cells multiply in the patient s blood and attack cancer cells car t cell therapy is being studied in the treatment of childhood all that has relapsed come back a second time patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your child s condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is done during all phases of treatment to see how well the treatment is working treatment options for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia standard risk the treatment of standard risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy when children are in remission after remission induction therapy a stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor may be done when children are not in remission after remission induction therapy further treatment is usually the same treatment given to children with high risk all intrathecal chemotherapy is given to prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord treatments being studied in clinical trials for standard risk all include new chemotherapy regimens check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with untreated childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia high risk the treatment of high risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy children in the high risk all group are given more anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs especially during the consolidation intensification phase than children in the standard risk group intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent or treat the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord sometimes radiation therapy to the brain is also given treatments being studied in clinical trials for high risk all include new chemotherapy regimens with or without targeted therapy or stem cell transplant check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with untreated childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia very high risk the treatment of very highrisk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy children in the very highrisk all group are given more anticancer drugs than children in the high risk group it is not clear whether a stem cell transplant during first remission will help the child live longer intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent or treat the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord sometimes radiation therapy to the brain is also given treatments being studied in clinical trials for very highrisk all include new chemotherapy regimens with or without targeted therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with untreated childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia special groups t cell childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia the treatment of t cell childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy children with t cell all are given more anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs than children in the newly diagnosed standard risk group intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord sometimes radiation therapy to the brain is also given treatments being studied in clinical trials for t cell all include new anticancer agents and chemotherapy regimens with or without targeted therapy infants with all the treatment of infants with all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy infants with all are given different anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs than children 1 year and older in the standard risk group it is not clear whether a stem cell transplant during first remission will help the child live longer intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord treatments being studied in clinical trials for infants with all include the following a clinical trial of chemotherapy followed by a donor stem cell transplant for infants with certain gene changes children 10 years and older and adolescents with all the treatment of all in children and adolescents 10 years and older during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases always includes combination chemotherapy children 10 years and older and adolescents with all are given more anticancer drugs and higher doses of anticancer drugs than children in the standard risk group intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy are given to prevent the spread of leukemia cells to the brain and spinal cord sometimes radiation therapy to the brain is also given treatments being studied in clinical trials for children 10 years and older and adolescents with all include new anticancer agents and chemotherapy regimens with or without targeted therapy philadelphia chromosomepositive all the treatment of philadelphia chromosome positive childhood all during the remission induction consolidation intensification and maintenance phases may include the following combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib mesylate with or without a stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with t cell childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and philadelphia chromosome positive childhood precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website refractory childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia there is no standard treatment for the treatment of refractory childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all some of the treatments being studied in clinical trials for refractory childhood all include targeted therapy blinatumomab or inotuzumab chimeric antigen receptor car t cell therapy relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia standard treatment of relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all that comes back in the bone marrow may include the following combination chemotherapy chemotherapy with or without total body irradiation followed by a stem cell transplant using stem cells from a donor standard treatment of relapsed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia all that comes back outside the bone marrow may include the following systemic chemotherapy and intrathecal chemotherapy with radiation therapy to the brain and or spinal cord for cancer that comes back in the brain and spinal cord only combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer that comes back in the testicles only stem cell transplant for cancer that has recurred in the brain and or spinal cord some of the treatments being studied in clinical trials for relapsed childhood all include new anticancer drugs and new combination chemotherapy treatments combination chemotherapy and new kinds of targeted therapies blinatumomab or inotuzumab chimeric antigen receptor car t cell therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cell, trial, leukemia, clinical, cancer, therapy, chemotherapy, child, childhood, acute


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Question: how to diagnose childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Answer: diagnostic tests and a biopsy are used to detect find and diagnose childhood rhabdomyosarcoma the diagnostic tests that are done depend in part on where the cancer forms the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patients health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the body such as the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the abdomen pelvis or lymph nodes taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas of the body such as the skull brain and lymph nodes this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do bone scan a procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells such as cancer cells in the bone a very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream the radioactive material collects in the bones with cancer and is detected by a scanner bone marrow aspiration and biopsy the removal of bone marrow blood and a small piece of bone by inserting a hollow needle into the hipbone samples are removed from both hipbones a pathologist views the bone marrow blood and bone under a microscope to look for signs of cancer lumbar puncture a procedure used to collect cerebrospinal fluid csf from the spinal column this is done by placing a needle between two bones in the spine and into the csf around the spinal cord and removing a sample of the fluid the sample of csf is checked under a microscope for signs of cancer cells this procedure is also called an lp or spinal tap if these tests show there may be a rhabdomyosarcoma a biopsy is done a biopsy is the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer because treatment depends on the type of rhabdomyosarcoma biopsy samples should be checked by a pathologist who has experience in diagnosing rhabdomyosarcoma one of the following types of biopsies may be used fine needle aspiration fna biopsy the removal of tissue or fluid using a thin needle core needle biopsy the removal of tissue using a wide needle this procedure may be guided using ultrasound ct scan or mri open biopsy the removal of tissue through an incision cut made in the skin sentinel lymph node biopsy the removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery the sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor it is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the tumor a radioactive substance and or blue dye is injected near the tumor the substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes the first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed a pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells if cancer cells are not found it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes the following tests may be done on the sample of tissue that is removed light microscopy a laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are viewed under regular and high powered microscopes to look for certain changes in the cells immunohistochemistry a test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens in a sample of tissue the antibody is usually linked to a radioactive substance or a dye that causes the tissue to light up under a microscope this type of test may be used to tell the difference between different types of cancer fish fluorescence in situ hybridization a laboratory test used to look at genes or chromosomes in cells and tissues pieces of dna that contain a fluorescent dye are made in the laboratory and added to cells or tissues on a glass slide when these pieces of dna attach to certain genes or areas of chromosomes on the slide they light up when viewed under a microscope with a special light this type of test is used to find certain gene changes reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction rtpcr test a laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are studied using chemicals to look for certain changes in the structure or function of genes cytogenetic analysis a laboratory test in which cells in a sample of tissue are viewed under a microscope to look for certain changes in the chromosomes
Keywords: cell, tissue, test, lymph, biopsy, bone, cancer, node, procedure, body


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Question: what is the outlook for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the patient s age where in the body the tumor started the size of the tumor at the time of diagnosis whether the tumor has been completely removed by surgery the type of rhabdomyosarcoma embryonal alveolar or anaplastic whether there are certain changes in the genes whether the tumor had spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis whether the tumor was in the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis whether the tumor responds to chemotherapy and or radiation therapy for patients with recurrent cancer prognosis and treatment also depend on the following where in the body the tumor recurred came back how much time passed between the end of cancer treatment and when the cancer recurred whether the tumor was treated with radiation therapy
Keywords: tumor, whether, time, body, cancer, diagnosis, prognosis, chance, option, radiation


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Question: what are the stages of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Answer: key points after childhood rhabdomyosarcoma has been diagnosed treatment is based in part on the stage of the cancer and sometimes it is based on whether all the cancer was removed by surgery there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body staging of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is done in three parts the staging system is based on the size of the tumor where it is in the body and whether it has spread to other parts of the body stage 1 stage 2 stage 3 stage 4 the grouping system is based on whether the cancer has spread and whether all the cancer was removed by surgery group i group ii group iii group iv the risk group is based on the staging system and the grouping system low risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma intermediate risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma high risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma after childhood rhabdomyosarcoma has been diagnosed treatment is based in part on the stage of the cancer and sometimes it is based on whether all the cancer was removed by surgery the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the tissue or to other parts of the body is called staging it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment the doctor will use results of the diagnostic tests to help find out the stage of the disease treatment for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is based in part on the stage and sometimes on the amount of cancer that remains after surgery to remove the tumor the pathologist will use a microscope to check the tissues removed during surgery including tissue samples from the edges of the areas where the cancer was removed and the lymph nodes this is done to see if all the cancer cells were taken out during the surgery there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if rhabdomyosarcoma spreads to the lung the cancer cells in the lung are actually rhabdomyosarcoma cells the disease is metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma not lung cancer staging of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is done in three parts childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is staged by using three different ways to describe the cancer a staging system a grouping system a risk group the staging system is based on the size of the tumor where it is in the body and whether it has spread to other parts of the body stage 1 in stage 1 the tumor is any size may have spread to lymph nodes and is found in only one of the following favorable sites eye or area around the eye head and neck but not in the tissue next to the brain and spinal cord gallbladder and bile ducts ureters or urethra testes ovary vagina or uterus rhabdomyosarcoma that forms in a favorable site has a better prognosis if the site where cancer occurs is not one of the favorable sites listed above it is said to be an unfavorable site stage 2 in stage 2 cancer is found in an unfavorable site any one area not described as favorable in stage 1 the tumor is no larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to lymph nodes stage 3 in stage 3 cancer is found in an unfavorable site any one area not described as favorable in stage 1 and one of the following is true the tumor is no larger than 5 centimeters and cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters and cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes stage 4 in stage 4 the tumor may be any size and cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the lung bone marrow or bone the grouping system is based on whether the cancer has spread and whether all the cancer was removed by surgery group i cancer was found only in the place where it started and it was completely removed by surgery tissue was taken from the edges of where the tumor was removed the tissue was checked under a microscope by a pathologist and no cancer cells were found group ii group ii is divided into groups iia iib and iic iia cancer was removed by surgery but cancer cells were seen when the tissue taken from the edges of where the tumor was removed was viewed under a microscope by a pathologist iib cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes and the cancer and lymph nodes were removed by surgery iic cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes the cancer and lymph nodes were removed by surgery and at least one of the following is true tissue taken from the edges of where the tumor was removed was checked under a microscope by a pathologist and cancer cells were seen the furthest lymph node from the tumor that was removed was checked under a microscope by a pathologist and cancer cells were seen group iii cancer was partly removed by biopsy or surgery but there is tumor remaining that can be seen with the eye group iv cancer had spread to distant parts of the body when the cancer was diagnosed cancer cells are found by an imaging test or there are cancer cells in the fluid around the brain spinal cord or lungs or in fluid in the abdomen or tumors are found in those areas the risk group is based on the staging system and the grouping system the risk group describes the chance that rhabdomyosarcoma will recur come back every child treated for rhabdomyosarcoma should receive chemotherapy to decrease the chance cancer will recur the type of anticancer drug dose and the number of treatments given depends on whether the child has low risk intermediate risk or high risk rhabdomyosarcoma the following risk groups are used low risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma low risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is one of the following an embryonal tumor of any size that is found in a favorable site there may be tumor remaining after surgery that can be seen with or without a microscope the cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes the following areas are favorable sites eye or area around the eye head or neck but not in the tissue near the ear nose sinuses or base of the skull gallbladder and bile ducts ureter or urethra testes ovary vagina or uterus an embryonal tumor of any size that is not found in a favorable site there may be tumor remaining after surgery that can be seen only with a microscope the cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes intermediate risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma intermediate risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is one of the following an embryonal tumor of any size that is not found in one of the favorable sites listed above there is tumor remaining after surgery that can be seen with or without a microscope the cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes an alveolar tumor of any size in a favorable or unfavorable site there may be tumor remaining after surgery that can be seen with or without a microscope the cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes high risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma high risk childhood rhabdomyosarcoma may be the embryonal type or the alveolar type it may have spread to nearby lymph nodes and has spread to one or more of the following other parts of the body that are not near where the tumor first formed fluid around the brain or spinal cord fluid in the lung or abdomen
Keywords: cancer, spread, tumor, lymph, rhabdomyosarcoma, stage, part, body, risk, node


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is a way of giving high doses of chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body s blood cells immunotherapy immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patients immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the bodys natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biologic therapy or biotherapy there are different types of immunotherapy immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy uses the body s immune system to kill cancer cells two types of immune checkpoint inhibitors are being studied in the treatment of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma that has come back after treatment ctla 4 is a protein on the surface of t cells that helps keep the bodys immune responses in check when ctla 4 attaches to another protein called b7 on a cancer cell it stops the t cell from killing the cancer cell ctla 4 inhibitors attach to ctla 4 and allow the t cells to kill cancer cells ipilimumab is a type of ctla 4 inhibitor pd 1 is a protein on the surface of t cells that helps keep the bodys immune responses in check when pd 1 attaches to another protein called pdl 1 on a cancer cell it stops the t cell from killing the cancer cell pd 1 inhibitors attach to pdl 1 and allow the t cells to kill cancer cells nivolumab and pembrolizumab are pd 1 inhibitors vaccine therapy is a type of immunotherapy being studied to treat metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to attack cancer cells targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation do there are different types of targeted therapy mtor inhibitors stop the protein that helps cells divide and survive sirolimus is a type of mtor inhibitor therapy being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma tyrosine kinase inhibitors are small molecule drugs that go through the cell membrane and work inside cancer cells to block signals that cancer cells need to grow and divide mk 1775 is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma antibody drug conjugates are made up of a monoclonal antibody attached to a drug the monoclonal antibody binds to specific proteins or receptors found on certain cells including cancer cells the drug enters these cells and kills them without harming other cells lorvotuzumab mertansine is an antibody drug conjugate being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: cell, cancer, trial, clinical, inhibitor, type, patient, therapy, studied, new


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Question: what are the treatments for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with childhood rhabdomyosarcoma children with rhabdomyosarcoma should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating cancer in children treatment for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma may cause side effects three types of standard treatment are used surgery radiation therapy chemotherapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant immunotherapy targeted therapy patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with childhood rhabdomyosarcoma some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment because cancer in children is rare taking part in a clinical trial should be considered some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment children with rhabdomyosarcoma should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating cancer in children because rhabdomyosarcoma can form in many different parts of the body many different kinds of treatments are used treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer the pediatric oncologist works with other health care providers who are experts in treating children with rhabdomyosarcoma and who specialize in certain areas of medicine these may include the following specialists pediatrician pediatric surgeon radiation oncologist pediatric hematologist pediatric radiologist pediatric nurse specialist geneticist or cancer genetics risk counselor social worker rehabilitation specialist treatment for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma may cause side effects for information about side effects that begin during treatment for cancer see our side effects page side effects from cancer treatment that begin after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects late effects of cancer treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma may include physical problems changes in mood feelings thinking learning or memory second cancers new types of cancer some late effects may be treated or controlled it is important to talk with your child s doctors about the effects cancer treatment can have on your child see the pdq summary on late effects of treatment for childhood cancer for more information three types of standard treatment are used surgery surgery removing the cancer in an operation is used to treat childhood rhabdomyosarcoma a type of surgery called wide local excision is often done a wide local excision is the removal of tumor and some of the tissue around it including the lymph nodes a second surgery may be needed to remove all the cancer whether surgery is done and the type of surgery done depends on the following where in the body the tumor started the effect the surgery will have on the way the child will look the effect the surgery will have on the child s important body functions how the tumor responded to chemotherapy or radiation therapy that may have been given first in most children with rhabdomyosarcoma it is not possible to remove all of the tumor by surgery rhabdomyosarcoma can form in many different places in the body and the surgery will be different for each site surgery to treat rhabdomyosarcoma of the eye or genital areas is usually a biopsy chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy may be given before surgery to shrink large tumors even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery patients will be given chemotherapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left radiation therapy may also be given treatment given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer certain ways of giving radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue these types of external radiation therapy include the following conformal radiation therapy conformal radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy that uses a computer to make a 3 dimensional 3 d picture of the tumor and shapes the radiation beams to fit the tumor this allows a high dose of radiation to reach the tumor and causes less damage to nearby healthy tissue intensity modulated radiation therapy imrt imrt is a type of 3 dimensional 3 d radiation therapy that uses a computer to make pictures of the size and shape of the tumor thin beams of radiation of different intensities strengths are aimed at the tumor from many angles volumetrical modulated arc therapy vmat vmat is type of 3 d radiation therapy that uses a computer to make pictures of the size and shape of the tumor the radiation machine moves in a circle around the patient once during treatment and sends thin beams of radiation of different intensities strengths at the tumor treatment with vmat is delivered faster than treatment with imrt stereotactic body radiation therapy stereotactic body radiation therapy is a type of external radiation therapy special equipment is used to place the patient in the same position for each radiation treatment once a day for several days a radiation machine aims a larger than usual dose of radiation directly at the tumor by having the patient in the same position for each treatment there is less damage to nearby healthy tissue this procedure is also called stereotactic external beam radiation therapy and stereotaxic radiation therapy proton beam radiation therapy proton beam therapy is a type of high energy external radiation therapy a radiation therapy machine aims streams of protons tiny invisible positively charged particles at the cancer cells to kill them this type of treatment causes less damage to nearby healthy tissue internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer it is used to treat cancer in areas such as the vagina vulva uterus bladder prostate head or neck internal radiation therapy is also called brachytherapy internal radiation implant radiation or interstitial radiation therapy the type and amount of radiation therapy and when it is given depends on the age of the child the type of rhabdomyosarcoma where in the body the tumor started how much tumor remained after surgery and whether there is tumor in the nearby lymph nodes external radiation therapy is usually used to treat childhood rhabdomyosarcoma but in certain cases internal radiation therapy is used chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy chemotherapy may also be given to shrink the tumor before surgery in order to save as much healthy tissue as possible this is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy every child treated for rhabdomyosarcoma should receive systemic chemotherapy to decrease the chance the cancer will recur the type of anticancer drug dose and the number of treatments given depends on whether the child has low risk intermediate risk or high risk rhabdomyosarcoma see drugs approved for rhabdomyosarcoma for more information follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your child s condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma previously untreated childhood rhabdomyosarcoma the treatment of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma often includes surgery radiation therapy and chemotherapy the order that these treatments are given depends on where in the body the tumor started the size of the tumor the type of tumor and whether the tumor has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body see the treatment option overview section of this summary for more information about surgery radiation therapy and chemotherapy used to treat children with rhabdomyosarcoma rhabdomyosarcoma of the brain and head and neck for tumors of the brain treatment may include surgery to remove the tumor radiation therapy and chemotherapy for tumors of the head and neck that are in or near the eye treatment may include chemotherapy and radiation therapy if the tumor remains or comes back after treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy surgery to remove the eye and some tissues around the eye may be needed for tumors of the head and neck that are near the ear nose sinuses or base of the skull but not in or near the eye treatment may include radiation therapy and chemotherapy for tumors of the head and neck that are not in or near the eye and not near the ear nose sinuses or base of the skull treatment may include chemotherapy radiation therapy and surgery to remove the tumor for tumors of the head and neck that cannot be removed by surgery treatment may include chemotherapy and radiation therapy including stereotactic body radiation therapy for tumors of the larynx voice box treatment may include chemotherapy and radiation therapy surgery to remove the larynx is usually not done so that the voice is not harmed rhabdomyosarcoma of the arms or legs chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumor if the tumor was not completely removed a second surgery to remove the tumor may be done radiation therapy may also be given for tumors of the hand or foot radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be given the tumor may not be removed because it would affect the function of the hand or foot lymph node dissection one or more lymph nodes are removed and a sample of tissue is checked under a microscope for signs of cancer for tumors in the arms lymph nodes near the tumor and in the armpit area are removed for tumors in the legs lymph nodes near the tumor and in the groin area are removed rhabdomyosarcoma of the chest abdomen or pelvis for tumors in the chest or abdomen including the chest wall or abdominal wall surgery wide local excision may be done if the tumor is large chemotherapy and radiation therapy are given to shrink the tumor before surgery for tumors of the pelvis surgery wide local excision may be done if the tumor is large chemotherapy is given to shrink the tumor before surgery radiation therapy may be given after surgery for tumors of the diaphragm a biopsy of the tumor is followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy to shrink the tumor surgery may be done later to remove any remaining cancer cells for tumors of the gallbladder or bile ducts a biopsy of the tumor is followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy for tumors of the muscles or tissues around the anus or between the vulva and the anus or the scrotum and the anus surgery is done to remove as much of the tumor as possible and some nearby lymph nodes followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy rhabdomyosarcoma of the kidney for tumors of the kidney surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be given rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder and prostate for tumors that are only at the top of the bladder surgery wide local excision is done for tumors of the prostate or bladder other than the top of the bladder chemotherapy and radiation therapy are given first to shrink the tumor if cancer cells remain after chemotherapy and radiation therapy the tumor is removed by surgery surgery may include removal of the prostate part of the bladder or pelvic exenteration without removal of the rectum this may include removal of the lower colon and bladder in girls the cervix vagina ovaries and nearby lymph nodes may be removed chemotherapy is given first to shrink the tumor surgery to remove the tumor but not the bladder or prostate is done internal or external radiation therapy may be given after surgery rhabdomyosarcoma of the area near the testicles surgery to remove the testicle and spermatic cord the lymph nodes in the back of the abdomen may be checked for cancer especially if the lymph nodes are large or the child is 10 years or older radiation therapy may be given if the tumor cannot be completely removed by surgery rhabdomyosarcoma of the vulva vagina uterus cervix or ovary for tumors of the vulva and vagina treatment may include chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumor internal or external radiation therapy may be given after surgery for tumors of the uterus treatment may include chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy sometimes surgery may be needed to remove any remaining cancer cells for tumors of the cervix treatment may include chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove any remaining tumor for tumors of the ovary treatment may include chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove any remaining tumor metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma treatment such as chemotherapy radiation therapy or surgery to remove the tumor is given to the site where the tumor first formed if the cancer has spread to the brain spinal cord or lungs radiation therapy may also be given to the sites where the cancer has spread the following treatment is being studied for metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma a clinical trial of immunotherapy vaccine therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with previously untreated childhood rhabdomyosarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website recurrent childhood rhabdomyosarcoma treatment options for recurrent childhood rhabdomyosarcoma are based on many factors including where in the body the cancer has come back what type of treatment the child had before and the needs of the child treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma may include one or more of the following surgery radiation therapy chemotherapy a clinical trial of high dose chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant using the patient s own stem cells a clinical trial of targeted therapy or immunotherapy sirolimus lorvotuzumab ipilimumab nivolumab or pembrolizumab a clinical trial of targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor mk 1775 and chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent childhood rhabdomyosarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is a way of giving high doses of chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body s blood cells immunotherapy immunotherapy is a treatment that uses the patients immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the bodys natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biologic therapy or biotherapy there are different types of immunotherapy immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy uses the body s immune system to kill cancer cells two types of immune checkpoint inhibitors are being studied in the treatment of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma that has come back after treatment ctla 4 is a protein on the surface of t cells that helps keep the bodys immune responses in check when ctla 4 attaches to another protein called b7 on a cancer cell it stops the t cell from killing the cancer cell ctla 4 inhibitors attach to ctla 4 and allow the t cells to kill cancer cells ipilimumab is a type of ctla 4 inhibitor pd 1 is a protein on the surface of t cells that helps keep the bodys immune responses in check when pd 1 attaches to another protein called pdl 1 on a cancer cell it stops the t cell from killing the cancer cell pd 1 inhibitors attach to pdl 1 and allow the t cells to kill cancer cells nivolumab and pembrolizumab are pd 1 inhibitors vaccine therapy is a type of immunotherapy being studied to treat metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to attack cancer cells targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation do there are different types of targeted therapy mtor inhibitors stop the protein that helps cells divide and survive sirolimus is a type of mtor inhibitor therapy being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma tyrosine kinase inhibitors are small molecule drugs that go through the cell membrane and work inside cancer cells to block signals that cancer cells need to grow and divide mk 1775 is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma antibody drug conjugates are made up of a monoclonal antibody attached to a drug the monoclonal antibody binds to specific proteins or receptors found on certain cells including cancer cells the drug enters these cells and kills them without harming other cells lorvotuzumab mertansine is an antibody drug conjugate being studied in the treatment of recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: radiation, therapy, tumor, cancer, surgery, chemotherapy, cell, rhabdomyosarcoma, trial, clinical


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for chronic myelogenous leukemia
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, part, new, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what are the treatments for chronic myelogenous leukemia
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia six types of standard treatment are used targeted therapy chemotherapy biologic therapy high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant donor lymphocyte infusion dli surgery new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia different types of treatment are available for patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia cml some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information about new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment six types of standard treatment are used targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells tyrosine kinase inhibitors are targeted therapy drugs used to treat chronic myelogenous leukemia imatinib mesylate nilotinib dasatinib and ponatinib are tyrosine kinase inhibitors that are used to treat cml see drugs approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia for more information chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated see drugs approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia for more information biologic therapy biologic therapy is a treatment that uses the patients immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the bodys natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy see drugs approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia for more information high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is a method of giving high doses of chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the bodys blood cells see drugs approved for chronic myelogenous leukemia for more information donor lymphocyte infusion dli donor lymphocyte infusion dli is a cancer treatment that may be used after stem cell transplant lymphocytes a type of white blood cell from the stem cell transplant donor are removed from the donors blood and may be frozen for storage the donors lymphocytes are thawed if they were frozen and then given to the patient through one or more infusions the lymphocytes see the patients cancer cells as not belonging to the body and attack them surgery splenectomy is surgery to remove the spleen new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for chronic myelogenous leukemia chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment of chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia may include the following targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor high dose chemotherapy with donor stem cell transplant chemotherapy splenectomy a clinical trial of lower dose chemotherapy with donor stem cell transplant a clinical trial of a new treatment check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website accelerated phase chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment of accelerated phase chronic myelogenous leukemia may include the following donor stem cell transplant targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy followed by a donor stem cell transplant biologic therapy interferon with or without chemotherapy high dose chemotherapy chemotherapy transfusion therapy to replace red blood cells platelets and sometimes white blood cells to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life a clinical trial of a new treatment check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with accelerated phase chronic myelogenous leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment of blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia may include the following targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor chemotherapy using one or more drugs high dose chemotherapy donor stem cell transplant chemotherapy as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life a clinical trial of a new treatment check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia treatment of relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia may include the following targeted therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor donor stem cell transplant chemotherapy donor lymphocyte infusion biologic therapy interferon a clinical trial of new types or higher doses of targeted therapy or donor stem cell transplant check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with relapsing chronic myelogenous leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, cell, chronic, chemotherapy, leukemia, myelogenous, patient, therapy


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Question: what is are bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: key points bile duct cancer is a rare disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the bile ducts having colitis or certain liver diseases can increase the risk of bile duct cancer signs of bile duct cancer include jaundice and pain in the abdomen tests that examine the bile ducts and nearby organs are used to detect find diagnose and stage bile duct cancer different procedures may be used to obtain a sample of tissue and diagnose bile duct cancer certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options bile duct cancer is a rare disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the bile ducts a network of tubes called ducts connects the liver gallbladder and small intestine this network begins in the liver where many small ducts collect bile a fluid made by the liver to break down fats during digestion the small ducts come together to form the right and left hepatic ducts which lead out of the liver the two ducts join outside the liver and form the common hepatic duct the cystic duct connects the gallbladder to the common hepatic duct bile from the liver passes through the hepatic ducts common hepatic duct and cystic duct and is stored in the gallbladder when food is being digested bile stored in the gallbladder is released and passes through the cystic duct to the common bile duct and into the small intestine bile duct cancer is also called cholangiocarcinoma there are two types of bile duct cancer intrahepatic bile duct cancer this type of cancer forms in the bile ducts inside the liver only a small number of bile duct cancers are intrahepatic intrahepatic bile duct cancers are also called intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas extrahepatic bile duct cancer the extrahepatic bile duct is made up of the hilum region and the distal region cancer can form in either region perihilar bile duct cancer this type of cancer is found in the hilum region the area where the right and left bile ducts exit the liver and join to form the common hepatic duct perihilar bile duct cancer is also called a klatskin tumor or perihilar cholangiocarcinoma distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer this type of cancer is found in the distal region the distal region is made up of the common bile duct which passes through the pancreas and ends in the small intestine distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer is also called extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Keywords: duct, bile, cancer, liver, form, common, hepatic, region, small, called


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Question: who is at risk for bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: having colitis or certain liver diseases can increase the risk of bile duct cancer anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesn t mean that you will not get cancer people who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor risk factors for bile duct cancer include the following conditions primary sclerosing cholangitis a progressive disease in which the bile ducts become blocked by inflammation and scarring chronic ulcerative colitis cysts in the bile ducts cysts block the flow of bile and can cause swollen bile ducts inflammation and infection infection with a chinese liver fluke parasite
Keywords: risk, bile, duct, cancer, factor, colitis, get, increase, infection, mean


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Question: what are the symptoms of bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: signs of bile duct cancer include jaundice and pain in the abdomen these and other signs and symptoms may be caused by bile duct cancer or by other conditions check with your doctor if you have any of the following jaundice yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes dark urine clay colored stool pain in the abdomen fever itchy skin nausea and vomiting weight loss for an unknown reason
Keywords: bile, cancer, duct, abdomen, jaundice, pain, sign, skin, symptom, colored


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Question: how to diagnose bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: tests that examine the bile ducts and nearby organs are used to detect find diagnose and stage bile duct cancer procedures that make pictures of the bile ducts and the nearby area help diagnose bile duct cancer and show how far the cancer has spread the process used to find out if cancer cells have spread within and around the bile ducts or to distant parts of the body is called staging in order to plan treatment it is important to know if the bile duct cancer can be removed by surgery tests and procedures to detect diagnose and stage bile duct cancer are usually done at the same time the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patients health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken liver function tests a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase released into the blood by the liver a higher than normal amount of these substances can be a sign of liver disease that may be caused by bile duct cancer laboratory tests medical procedures that test samples of tissue blood urine or other substances in the body these tests help to diagnose disease plan and check treatment or monitor the disease over time carcinoembryonic antigen cea and ca 19 9 tumor marker test a procedure in which a sample of blood urine or tissue is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances made by organs tissues or tumor cells in the body certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the body these are called tumor markers higher than normal levels of carcinoembryonic antigen cea and ca 19 9 may mean there is bile duct cancer ultrasound exam a procedure in which high energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs such as the abdomen and make echoes the echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram the picture can be printed to be looked at later ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the abdomen taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri mrcp magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the liver bile ducts gallbladder pancreas and pancreatic duct different procedures may be used to obtain a sample of tissue and diagnose bile duct cancer cells and tissues are removed during a biopsy so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer different procedures may be used to obtain the sample of cells and tissue the type of procedure used depends on whether the patient is well enough to have surgery types of biopsy procedures include the following laparoscopy a surgical procedure to look at the organs inside the abdomen such as the bile ducts and liver to check for signs of cancer small incisions cuts are made in the wall of the abdomen and a laparoscope a thin lighted tube is inserted into one of the incisions other instruments may be inserted through the same or other incisions to perform procedures such as taking tissue samples to be checked for signs of cancer percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography ptc a procedure used to x ray the liver and bile ducts a thin needle is inserted through the skin below the ribs and into the liver dye is injected into the liver or bile ducts and an x ray is taken a sample of tissue is removed and checked for signs of cancer if the bile duct is blocked a thin flexible tube called a stent may be left in the liver to drain bile into the small intestine or a collection bag outside the body this procedure may be used when a patient cannot have surgery endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ercp a procedure used to x ray the ducts tubes that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder and from the gallbladder to the small intestine sometimes bile duct cancer causes these ducts to narrow and block or slow the flow of bile causing jaundice an endoscope is passed through the mouth and stomach and into the small intestine dye is injected through the endoscope thin tube like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing into the bile ducts and an x ray is taken a sample of tissue is removed and checked for signs of cancer if the bile duct is blocked a thin tube may be inserted into the duct to unblock it this tube or stent may be left in place to keep the duct open this procedure may be used when a patient cannot have surgery
Keywords: duct, bile, procedure, cancer, tissue, body, liver, used, sign, test


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Question: what is the outlook for bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following whether the cancer is in the upper or lower part of the bile duct system the stage of the cancer whether it affects only the bile ducts or has spread to the liver lymph nodes or other places in the body whether the cancer has spread to nearby nerves or veins whether the cancer can be completely removed by surgery whether the patient has other conditions such as primary sclerosing cholangitis whether the level of ca 19 9 is higher than normal whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred come back treatment options may also depend on the symptoms caused by the cancer bile duct cancer is usually found after it has spread and can rarely be completely removed by surgery palliative therapy may relieve symptoms and improve the patient s quality of life
Keywords: cancer, whether, bile, duct, option, spread, completely, depend, prognosis, recovery


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website liver transplant in a liver transplant the entire liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donated liver a liver transplant may be done in patients with perihilar bile duct cancer if the patient has to wait for a donated liver other treatment is given as needed patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, liver, new, part, treatment, done, research


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Question: what are the stages of bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: key points the results of diagnostic and staging tests are used to find out if cancer cells have spread there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body stages are used to describe the different types of bile duct cancer intrahepatic bile duct cancer perihilar bile duct cancer distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer the following groups are used to plan treatment resectable localized bile duct cancer unresectable metastatic or recurrent bile duct cancer the results of diagnostic and staging tests are used to find out if cancer cells have spread the process used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body is called staging for bile duct cancer the information gathered from tests and procedures is used to plan treatment including whether the tumor can be removed by surgery there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if bile duct cancer spreads to the liver the cancer cells in the liver are actually bile duct cancer cells the disease is metastatic bile duct cancer not liver cancer stages are used to describe the different types of bile duct cancer intrahepatic bile duct cancer stage 0 abnormal cells are found in the innermost layer of tissue lining the intrahepatic bile duct these abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ stage i there is one tumor that has spread into the intrahepatic bile duct and it has not spread into any blood vessels stage ii there is one tumor that has spread through the wall of the bile duct and into a blood vessel or there are multiple tumors that may have spread into a blood vessel stage iii the tumor has spread through the tissue that lines the abdominal wall or has spread to organs or tissues near the liver such as the duodenum colon and stomach stage iv stage iv is divided into stage iva and stage ivb stage iva the cancer has spread along the outside of the intrahepatic bile ducts or the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes stage ivb the cancer has spread to organs in other parts of the body perihilar bile duct cancer stage 0 abnormal cells are found in the innermost layer of tissue lining the perihilar bile duct these abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ stage i cancer has formed in the innermost layer of the wall of the perihilar bile duct and has spread into the muscle layer or fibrous tissue layer of the wall stage ii cancer has spread through the wall of the perihilar bile duct to nearby fatty tissue or to the liver stage iii stage iii is divided into stage iiia and stage iiib stage iiia cancer has spread to branches on one side of the hepatic artery or of the portal vein stage iiib cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes cancer may have spread into the wall of the perihilar bile duct or through the wall to nearby fatty tissue the liver or to branches on one side of the hepatic artery or of the portal vein stage iv stage iv is divided into stage iva and stage ivb stage iva cancer has spread to one or more of the following the main part of the portal vein and or common hepatic artery the branches of the portal vein and or common hepatic artery on both sides the right hepatic duct and the left branch of the hepatic artery or of the portal vein the left hepatic duct and the right branch of the hepatic artery or of the portal vein cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes stage ivb cancer has spread to lymph nodes in more distant parts of the abdomen or to organs in other parts of the body distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer stage 0 abnormal cells are found in the innermost layer of tissue lining the distal extrahepatic bile duct these abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ stage i stage i is divided into stage ia and stage ib stage ia cancer has formed and is found in the distal extrahepatic bile duct wall only stage ib cancer has formed and has spread through the wall of the distal extrahepatic bile duct but has not spread to nearby organs stage ii stage ii is divided into stage iia and stage iib stage iia cancer has spread from the distal extrahepatic bile duct to the gallbladder pancreas duodenum or other nearby organs stage iib cancer has spread from the distal extrahepatic bile duct to nearby lymph nodes cancer may have spread through the wall of the duct or to nearby organs stage iii cancer has spread to the large vessels that carry blood to the organs in the abdomen cancer may have spread to nearby lymph nodes stage iv cancer has spread to organs in distant parts of the body the following groups are used to plan treatment resectable localized bile duct cancer the cancer is in an area such as the lower part of the common bile duct or perihilar area where it can be removed completely by surgery unresectable metastatic or recurrent bile duct cancer unresectable cancer cannot be removed completely by surgery most patients with bile duct cancer cannot have their cancer completely removed by surgery metastasis is the spread of cancer from the primary site place where it started to other places in the body metastatic bile duct cancer may have spread to the liver other parts of the abdominal cavity or to distant parts of the body recurrent bile duct cancer is cancer that has recurred come back after it has been treated the cancer may come back in the bile ducts liver or gallbladder less often it may come back in distant parts of the body
Keywords: cancer, stage, spread, duct, bile, part, body, lymph, nearby, tissue


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Question: what are the treatments for bile duct cancer cholangiocarcinoma
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with bile duct cancer three types of standard treatment are used surgery radiation therapy chemotherapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials liver transplant patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with bile duct cancer different types of treatments are available for patients with bile duct cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment three types of standard treatment are used surgery the following types of surgery are used to treat bile duct cancer removal of the bile duct a surgical procedure to remove part of the bile duct if the tumor is small and in the bile duct only lymph nodes are removed and tissue from the lymph nodes is viewed under a microscope to see if there is cancer partial hepatectomy a surgical procedure in which the part of the liver where cancer is found is removed the part removed may be a wedge of tissue an entire lobe or a larger part of the liver along with some normal tissue around it whipple procedure a surgical procedure in which the head of the pancreas the gallbladder part of the stomach part of the small intestine and the bile duct are removed enough of the pancreas is left to make digestive juices and insulin even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the operation some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left treatment given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy it is not yet known whether chemotherapy or radiation therapy given after surgery helps keep the cancer from coming back the following types of palliative surgery may be done to relieve symptoms caused by a blocked bile duct and improve quality of life biliary bypass a surgical procedure in which the part of the bile duct before the blockage is connected with part of the bile duct that is past the blockage or to the small intestine this allows bile to flow to the gallbladder or small intestine stent placement a surgical procedure in which a stent a thin flexible tube or metal tube is placed in the bile duct to open it and allow bile to flow into the small intestine or through a catheter that goes to a collection bag outside of the body percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage a procedure used to x ray the liver and bile ducts a thin needle is inserted through the skin below the ribs and into the liver dye is injected into the liver or bile ducts and an x ray is taken if the bile duct is blocked a thin flexible tube called a stent may be left in the liver to drain bile into the small intestine or a collection bag outside the body radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer external and internal radiation therapy are used to treat bile duct cancer it is not yet known whether external radiation therapy helps in the treatment of resectable bile duct cancer in unresectable metastatic or recurrent bile duct cancer new ways to improve the effect of external radiation therapy on cancer cells are being studied hyperthermia therapy a treatment in which body tissue is exposed to high temperatures to make cancer cells more sensitive to the effects of radiation therapy and certain anticancer drugs radiosensitizers drugs that make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy combining radiation therapy with radiosensitizers may kill more cancer cells chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy systemic chemotherapy is used to treat unresectable metastatic or recurrent bile duct cancer it is not yet known whether systemic chemotherapy helps in the treatment of resectable bile duct cancer in unresectable metastatic or recurrent bile duct cancer intra arterial embolization is being studied it is a procedure in which the blood supply to a tumor is blocked after anticancer drugs are given in blood vessels near the tumor sometimes the anticancer drugs are attached to small beads that are injected into an artery that feeds the tumor the beads block blood flow to the tumor as they release the drug this allows a higher amount of drug to reach the tumor for a longer period of time which may kill more cancer cells new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website liver transplant in a liver transplant the entire liver is removed and replaced with a healthy donated liver a liver transplant may be done in patients with perihilar bile duct cancer if the patient has to wait for a donated liver other treatment is given as needed patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for bile duct cancer intrahepatic bile duct cancer resectable intrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment of resectable intrahepatic bile duct cancer may include surgery to remove the cancer which may include partial hepatectomy embolization may be done before surgery surgery followed by chemotherapy and or radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage i intrahepatic bile duct cancer and stage ii intrahepatic bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website unresectable recurrent or metastatic intrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment of unresectable recurrent or metastatic intrahepatic bile duct cancer may include the following stent placement as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life external or internal radiation therapy as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life chemotherapy a clinical trial of external radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia therapy radiosensitizer drugs or chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iii intrahepatic bile duct cancer stage iv intrahepatic bile duct cancer and recurrent intrahepatic bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website perihilar bile duct cancer resectable perihilar bile duct cancer treatment of resectable perihilar bile duct cancer may include the following surgery to remove the cancer which may include partial hepatectomy stent placement or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage as palliative therapy to relieve jaundice and other symptoms and improve the quality of life surgery followed by radiation therapy and or chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage i perihilar bile duct cancer and stage ii perihilar bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website unresectable recurrent or metastatic perihilar bile duct cancer treatment of unresectable recurrent or metastatic perihilar bile duct cancer may include the following stent placement or biliary bypass as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life external or internal radiation therapy as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life chemotherapy a clinical trial of external radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia therapy radiosensitizer drugs or chemotherapy a clinical trial of chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by a liver transplant check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iii perihilar bile duct cancer stage iv perihilar bile duct cancer and recurrent perihilar bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer resectable distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment of resectable distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer may include the following surgery to remove the cancer which may include a whipple procedure stent placement or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage as palliative therapy to relieve jaundice and other symptoms and improve the quality of life surgery followed by radiation therapy and or chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with localized extrahepatic bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website unresectable recurrent or metastatic distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer treatment of unresectable recurrent or metastatic distal extrahepatic bile duct cancer may include the following stent placement or biliary bypass as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life external or internal radiation therapy as palliative treatment to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life chemotherapy a clinical trial of external radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia therapy radiosensitizer drugs or chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with unresectable extrahepatic bile duct cancer recurrent extrahepatic bile duct cancer and metastatic extrahepatic bile duct cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cancer, bile, trial, duct, clinical, therapy, radiation, patient, chemotherapy, drug


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Question: who is at risk for testicular cancer
Answer: health history can affect the risk of testicular cancer anything that increases the chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk risk factors for testicular cancer include having had an undescended testicle having had abnormal development of the testicles having a personal history of testicular cancer having a family history of testicular cancer especially in a father or brother being white treatment for testicular cancer can cause infertility certain treatments for testicular cancer can cause infertility that may be permanent patients who may wish to have children should consider sperm banking before having treatment sperm banking is the process of freezing sperm and storing it for later use
Keywords: cancer, risk, testicular, factor, history, sperm, get, infertility, mean, testicle


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Question: what are the stages of testicular cancer
Answer: key points after testicular cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the testicles or to other parts of the body there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body the following stages are used for testicular cancer stage 0 testicular intraepithelial neoplasia stage i stage ii stage iii after testicular cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the testicles or to other parts of the body the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the testicles or to other parts of the body is called staging the information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment the following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri abdominal lymph node dissection a surgical procedure in which lymph nodes in the abdomen are removed and a sample of tissue is checked under a microscope for signs of cancer this procedure is also called lymphadenectomy for patients with nonseminoma removing the lymph nodes may help stop the spread of disease cancer cells in the lymph nodes of seminoma patients can be treated with radiation therapy serum tumor marker test a procedure in which a sample of blood is examined to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs tissues or tumor cells in the body certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the blood these are called tumor markers the following 3 tumor markers are used in staging testicular cancer alpha fetoprotein afp beta human chorionic gonadotropin hcg lactate dehydrogenase ldh tumor marker levels are measured again after inguinal orchiectomy and biopsy in order to determine the stage of the cancer this helps to show if all of the cancer has been removed or if more treatment is needed tumor marker levels are also measured during follow up as a way of checking if the cancer has come back there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if testicular cancer spreads to the lung the cancer cells in the lung are actually testicular cancer cells the disease is metastatic testicular cancer not lung cancer the following stages are used for testicular cancer stage 0 testicular intraepithelial neoplasia in stage 0 abnormal cells are found in the tiny tubules where the sperm cells begin to develop these abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue all tumor marker levels are normal stage 0 is also called testicular intraepithelial neoplasia and testicular intratubular germ cell neoplasia stage i in stage i cancer has formed stage i is divided into stage ia stage ib and stage is and is determined after an inguinal orchiectomy is done in stage ia cancer is in the testicle and epididymis and may have spread to the inner layer of the membrane surrounding the testicle all tumor marker levels are normal in stage ib cancer is in the testicle and the epididymis and has spread to the blood vessels or lymph vessels in the testicle or has spread to the outer layer of the membrane surrounding the testicle or is in the spermatic cord or the scrotum and may be in the blood vessels or lymph vessels of the testicle all tumor marker levels are normal in stage is cancer is found anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or the scrotum and either all tumor marker levels are slightly above normal or one or more tumor marker levels are moderately above normal or high stage ii stage ii is divided into stage iia stage iib and stage iic and is determined after an inguinal orchiectomy is done in stage iia cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and has spread to up to 5 lymph nodes in the abdomen none larger than 2 centimeters all tumor marker levels are normal or slightly above normal in stage iib cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and either has spread to up to 5 lymph nodes in the abdomen at least one of the lymph nodes is larger than 2 centimeters but none are larger than 5 centimeters or has spread to more than 5 lymph nodes the lymph nodes are not larger than 5 centimeters all tumor marker levels are normal or slightly above normal in stage iic cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and has spread to a lymph node in the abdomen that is larger than 5 centimeters all tumor marker levels are normal or slightly above normal stage iii stage iii is divided into stage iiia stage iiib and stage iiic and is determined after an inguinal orchiectomy is done in stage iiia cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen and has spread to distant lymph nodes or to the lungs tumor marker levels may range from normal to slightly above normal in stage iiib cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen to distant lymph nodes or to the lungs the level of one or more tumor markers is moderately above normal in stage iiic cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen to distant lymph nodes or to the lungs the level of one or more tumor markers is high or cancer is anywhere within the testicle spermatic cord or scrotum and may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the abdomen and has not spread to distant lymph nodes or the lung but has spread to other parts of the body tumor marker levels may range from normal to high
Keywords: cancer, stage, spread, lymph, tumor, body, node, marker, normal, testicle


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Question: what are the treatments for testicular cancer
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with testicular cancer testicular tumors are divided into 3 groups based on how well the tumors are expected to respond to treatment good prognosis intermediate prognosis poor prognosis five types of standard treatment are used surgery radiation therapy chemotherapy surveillance high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with testicular cancer different types of treatments are available for patients with testicular cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment testicular tumors are divided into 3 groups based on how well the tumors are expected to respond to treatment good prognosis for nonseminoma all of the following must be true the tumor is found only in the testicle or in the retroperitoneum area outside or behind the abdominal wall and the tumor has not spread to organs other than the lungs and the levels of all the tumor markers are slightly above normal for seminoma all of the following must be true the tumor has not spread to organs other than the lungs and the level of alpha fetoprotein afp is normal beta human chorionic gonadotropin hcg and lactate dehydrogenase ldh may be at any level intermediate prognosis for nonseminoma all of the following must be true the tumor is found in one testicle only or in the retroperitoneum area outside or behind the abdominal wall and the tumor has not spread to organs other than the lungs and the level of any one of the tumor markers is more than slightly above normal for seminoma all of the following must be true the tumor has spread to organs other than the lungs and the level of afp is normal hcg and ldh may be at any level poor prognosis for nonseminoma at least one of the following must be true the tumor is in the center of the chest between the lungs or the tumor has spread to organs other than the lungs or the level of any one of the tumor markers is high there is no poor prognosis grouping for seminoma testicular tumors five types of standard treatment are used surgery surgery to remove the testicle inguinal orchiectomy and some of the lymph nodes may be done at diagnosis and staging see the general information and stages sections of this summary tumors that have spread to other places in the body may be partly or entirely removed by surgery even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left treatment given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated external radiation therapy is used to treat testicular cancer chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated see drugs approved for testicular cancer for more information surveillance surveillance is closely following a patient s condition without giving any treatment unless there are changes in test results it is used to find early signs that the cancer has recurred come back in surveillance patients are given certain exams and tests on a regular schedule high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant is a method of giving high doses of chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the bodys blood cells see drugs approved for testicular cancer for more information new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups men who have had testicular cancer have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other testicle a patient is advised to regularly check the other testicle and report any unusual symptoms to a doctor right away long term clinical exams are very important the patient will probably have check ups frequently during the first year after surgery and less often after that treatment options by stage stage 0 testicular intraepithelial neoplasia treatment of stage 0 may include the following radiation therapy surveillance surgery to remove the testicle check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with testicular cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage i testicular cancer treatment of stage i testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma treatment of seminoma may include the following surgery to remove the testicle followed by surveillance for patients who want active treatment rather than surveillance treatment may include surgery to remove the testicle followed by chemotherapy treatment of nonseminoma may include the following surgery to remove the testicle with long term follow up surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes in the abdomen with long term follow up surgery followed by chemotherapy for patients at high risk of recurrence with long term follow up check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage i testicular cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage ii testicular cancer treatment of stage ii testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma treatment of seminoma may include the following when the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller surgery to remove the testicle followed by radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the abdomen and pelvis combination chemotherapy surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes in the abdomen when the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy or radiation therapy to lymph nodes in the abdomen and pelvis with long term follow up treatment of nonseminoma may include the following surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes with long term follow up surgery to remove the testicle and lymph nodes followed by combination chemotherapy and long term follow up surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy and a second surgery if cancer remains with long term follow up combination chemotherapy before surgery to remove the testicle for cancer that has spread and is thought to be life threatening check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage ii testicular cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage iii testicular cancer treatment of stage iii testicular cancer depends on whether the cancer is a seminoma or a nonseminoma treatment of seminoma may include the following surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy if there are tumors remaining after chemotherapy treatment may be one of the following surveillance with no treatment unless tumors grow surveillance for tumors smaller than 3 centimeters and surgery to remove tumors larger than 3 centimeters a pet scan two months after chemotherapy and surgery to remove tumors that show up with cancer on the scan a clinical trial of chemotherapy treatment of nonseminoma may include the following surgery to remove the testicle followed by combination chemotherapy combination chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the testicle and all remaining tumors additional chemotherapy may be given if the tumor tissue removed contains cancer cells that are growing or if follow up tests show that cancer is progressing combination chemotherapy before surgery to remove the testicle for cancer that has spread and is thought to be life threatening a clinical trial of chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iii testicular cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cancer, trial, clinical, chemotherapy, surgery, tumor, patient, testicular, testicle, remove


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for testicular cancer
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, part, new, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what is are thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Answer: key points thymoma and thymic carcinoma are diseases in which malignant cancer cells form on the outside surface of the thymus thymoma is linked with myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune diseases signs and symptoms of thymoma and thymic carcinoma include a cough and chest pain tests that examine the thymus are used to detect find thymoma or thymic carcinoma thymoma and thymic carcinoma are usually diagnosed staged and treated during surgery certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options thymoma and thymic carcinoma are diseases in which malignant cancer cells form on the outside surface of the thymus the thymus a small organ that lies in the upper chest under the breastbone is part of the lymph system it makes white blood cells called lymphocytes that protect the body against infections there are different types of tumors of the thymus thymomas and thymic carcinomas are rare tumors of the cells that are on the outside surface of the thymus the tumor cells in a thymoma look similar to the normal cells of the thymus grow slowly and rarely spread beyond the thymus on the other hand the tumor cells in a thymic carcinoma look very different from the normal cells of the thymus grow more quickly and have usually spread to other parts of the body when the cancer is found thymic carcinoma is more difficult to treat than thymoma for information on thymoma and thymic carcinoma in children see the pdq summary on unusual cancers of childhood treatment thymoma is linked with myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune diseases people with thymoma often have autoimmune diseases as well these diseases cause the immune system to attack healthy tissue and organs they include myasthenia gravis acquired pure red cell aplasia hypogammaglobulinemia polymyositis lupus erythematosus rheumatoid arthritis thyroiditis sjgren syndrome
Keywords: thymoma, carcinoma, thymic, cell, thymus, disease, cancer, tumor, outside, surface


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Question: what is the outlook for thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the stage of the cancer the type of cancer cell whether the tumor can be removed completely by surgery the patient s general health whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred come back
Keywords: cancer, chance, option, prognosis, recovery, whether, back, carcinoma, come, completely


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Question: what are the stages of thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Answer: key points tests done to detect thymoma or thymic carcinoma are also used to stage the disease there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body the following stages are used for thymoma stage i stage ii stage iii stage iv thymic carcinomas have usually spread to other parts of the body when diagnosed tests done to detect thymoma or thymic carcinoma are also used to stage the disease staging is the process used to find out if cancer has spread from the thymus to other parts of the body the findings made during surgery and the results of tests and procedures are used to determine the stage of the disease it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if thymic carcinoma spreads to the bone the cancer cells in the bone are actually thymic carcinoma cells the disease is metastatic thymic carcinoma not bone cancer the following stages are used for thymoma stage i in stage i cancer is found only within the thymus all cancer cells are inside the capsule sac that surrounds the thymus stage ii in stage ii cancer has spread through the capsule and into the fat around the thymus or into the lining of the chest cavity stage iii in stage iii cancer has spread to nearby organs in the chest including the lung the sac around the heart or large blood vessels that carry blood to the heart stage iv stage iv is divided into stage iva and stage ivb depending on where the cancer has spread in stage iva cancer has spread widely around the lungs and heart in stage ivb cancer has spread to the blood or lymph system thymic carcinomas have usually spread to other parts of the body when diagnosed the staging system used for thymomas is sometimes used for thymic carcinomas
Keywords: cancer, stage, spread, body, blood, part, carcinoma, lymph, thymic, used


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, new, part, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what are the treatments for thymoma and thymic carcinoma
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma four types of standard treatment are used surgery radiation therapy chemotherapy hormone therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma different types of treatments are available for patients with thymoma and thymic carcinoma some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment four types of standard treatment are used surgery surgery to remove the tumor is the most common treatment of thymoma even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery some patients may be given radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left treatment given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated external radiation therapy is used to treat thymoma and thymic carcinoma chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated chemotherapy may be used to shrink the tumor before surgery or radiation therapy this is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy hormone therapy hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing hormones are substances produced by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream some hormones can cause certain cancers to grow if tests show that the cancer cells have places where hormones can attach receptors drugs surgery or radiation therapy is used to reduce the production of hormones or block them from working hormone therapy with drugs called corticosteroids may be used to treat thymoma or thymic carcinoma new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for thymoma and thymic carcinoma stage i and stage ii thymoma treatment of stage i thymoma is surgery treatment of stage ii thymoma is surgery followed by radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage i thymoma and stage ii thymoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage iii and stage iv thymoma treatment of stage iii and stage iv thymoma that may be completely removed by surgery includes the following surgery with or without radiation therapy neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery with or without radiation therapy a clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses a clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy treatment of stage iii and stage iv thymoma that cannot be completely removed by surgery includes the following neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and or radiation therapy radiation therapy chemotherapy a clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses a clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iii thymoma and stage iv thymoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website thymic carcinoma treatment of thymic carcinoma that may be completely removed by surgery includes the following surgery with or without radiation therapy a clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses a clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy treatment of thymic carcinoma that cannot be completely removed by surgery includes the following radiation therapy chemotherapy with or without surgery to remove part of the tumor and or radiation therapy chemotherapy with radiation therapy chemotherapy a clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses a clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with thymic carcinoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma treatment of recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma may include the following surgery with or without radiation therapy radiation therapy hormone therapy chemotherapy a clinical trial of anticancer drugs in new combinations or doses a clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent thymoma and thymic carcinoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, therapy, radiation, thymoma, new, patient, surgery, stage


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Question: what is are anal cancer
Answer: key points anal cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the anus squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of anal cancer in the united states the number of new cases of anal cancer has increased in recent years anal cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the anus the anus is the end of the large intestine below the rectum through which stool solid waste leaves the body the anus is formed partly from the outer skin layers of the body and partly from the intestine two ring like muscles called sphincter muscles open and close the anal opening and let stool pass out of the body the anal canal the part of the anus between the rectum and the anal opening is about 1 1 inches long the skin around the outside of the anus is called the perianal area tumors in this area are skin tumors not anal cancer see the following pdq summary for more information about anal cancer anal cancer treatment squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of anal cancer in the united states the most common type of anal cancer is squamous cell carcinoma studies show that human papillomavirus hpv infection is the main cause of this type of anal cancer another type of anal cancer called anal adenocarcinoma is very rare and is not discussed in this summary in the united states the number of new cases of anal cancer has increased in recent years from 2004 to 2013 new cases of anal cancer and deaths from anal cancer increased each year the increase in new cases was slightly higher in women and the increase in deaths from anal cancer was slightly higher in men
Keywords: anal, cancer, anus, cell, type, case, new, carcinoma, squamous, state


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Question: who is at risk for anal cancer
Answer: being infected with the human papillomavirus hpv increases the risk of developing anal cancer risk factors include the following being infected with human papillomavirus hpv having many sexual partners having receptive anal intercourse anal sex being older than 50 years frequent anal redness swelling and soreness having anal fistulas abnormal openings smoking cigarettes
Keywords: anal, risk, cancer, hpv, human, infected, papillomavirus, developing, fistula, following


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Question: what are the symptoms of anal cancer
Answer: signs of anal cancer include bleeding from the anus or rectum or a lump near the anus these and other signs and symptoms may be caused by anal cancer or by other conditions check with your doctor if you have any of the following bleeding from the anus or rectum pain or pressure in the area around the anus itching or discharge from the anus a lump near the anus a change in bowel habits
Keywords: anus, anal, cancer, bleeding, lump, near, rectum, sign, symptom, change


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Question: how to diagnose anal cancer
Answer: tests that examine the rectum and anus are used to detect find and diagnose anal cancer the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patients health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken digital rectal examination dre an exam of the anus and rectum the doctor or nurse inserts a lubricated gloved finger into the lower part of the rectum to feel for lumps or anything else that seems unusual anoscopy an exam of the anus and lower rectum using a short lighted tube called an anoscope proctoscopy an exam of the rectum using a short lighted tube called a proctoscope endo anal or endorectal ultrasound a procedure in which an ultrasound transducer probe is inserted into the anus or rectum and used to bounce high energy sound waves ultrasound off internal tissues or organs and make echoes the echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram biopsy the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer if an abnormal area is seen during the anoscopy a biopsy may be done at that time
Keywords: rectum, exam, anus, anal, called, cancer, sign, tissue, ultrasound, used


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Question: what is the outlook for anal cancer
Answer: certain factors affect the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery depends on the following the size of the tumor where the tumor is in the anus whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes the treatment options depend on the following the stage of the cancer where the tumor is in the anus whether the patient has human immunodeficiency virus hiv whether cancer remains after initial treatment or has recurred
Keywords: cancer, tumor, whether, anus, chance, following, option, prognosis, recovery, depends


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Question: what are the stages of anal cancer
Answer: key points after anal cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the anus or to other parts of the body there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body the following stages are used for anal cancer stage 0 carcinoma in situ stage i stage ii stage iiia stage iiib stage iv after anal cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the anus or to other parts of the body the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the anus or to other parts of the body is called staging the information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment the following tests may be used in the staging process ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the abdomen or chest taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography for anal cancer a ct scan of the pelvis and abdomen may be done chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if anal cancer spreads to the lung the cancer cells in the lung are actually anal cancer cells the disease is metastatic anal cancer not lung cancer the following stages are used for anal cancer stage 0 carcinoma in situ in stage 0 abnormal cells are found in the innermost lining of the anus these abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue stage 0 is also called carcinoma in situ stage i in stage i cancer has formed and the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller stage ii in stage ii the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters stage iiia in stage iiia the tumor may be any size and has spread to either lymph nodes near the rectum or nearby organs such as the vagina urethra and bladder stage iiib in stage iiib the tumor may be any size and has spread to nearby organs and to lymph nodes near the rectum or to lymph nodes on one side of the pelvis and or groin and may have spread to nearby organs or to lymph nodes near the rectum and in the groin and or to lymph nodes on both sides of the pelvis and or groin and may have spread to nearby organs stage iv in stage iv the tumor may be any size and cancer may have spread to lymph nodes or nearby organs and has spread to distant parts of the body
Keywords: cancer, stage, body, spread, lymph, tumor, part, cell, anal, blood


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for anal cancer
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website radiosensitizers radiosensitizers are drugs that make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy combining radiation therapy with radiosensitizers may kill more tumor cells patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, new, part, treatment, radiosensitizers, research, standard


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Question: what are the treatments for anal cancer
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with anal cancer three types of standard treatment are used radiation therapy chemotherapy surgery having the human immunodeficiency virus can affect treatment of anal cancer new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials radiosensitizers patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with anal cancer different types of treatments are available for patients with anal cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment three types of standard treatment are used radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated external and internal radiation therapy are used to treat anal cancer chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated surgery local resection a surgical procedure in which the tumor is cut from the anus along with some of the healthy tissue around it local resection may be used if the cancer is small and has not spread this procedure may save the sphincter muscles so the patient can still control bowel movements tumors that form in the lower part of the anus can often be removed with local resection abdominoperineal resection a surgical procedure in which the anus the rectum and part of the sigmoid colon are removed through an incision made in the abdomen the doctor sews the end of the intestine to an opening called a stoma made in the surface of the abdomen so body waste can be collected in a disposable bag outside of the body this is called a colostomy lymph nodes that contain cancer may also be removed during this operation having the human immunodeficiency virus can affect treatment of anal cancer cancer therapy can further damage the already weakened immune systems of patients who have the human immunodeficiency virus hiv for this reason patients who have anal cancer and hiv are usually treated with lower doses of anticancer drugs and radiation than patients who do not have hiv new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website radiosensitizers radiosensitizers are drugs that make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy combining radiation therapy with radiosensitizers may kill more tumor cells patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options by stage stage 0 carcinoma in situ treatment of stage 0 is usually local resection check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage 0 anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage i anal cancer treatment of stage i anal cancer may include the following local resection external beam radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy if cancer remains after treatment more chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be given to avoid the need for a permanent colostomy internal radiation therapy abdominoperineal resection if cancer remains or comes back after treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy internal radiation therapy for cancer that remains after treatment with external beam radiation therapy patients who have had treatment that saves the sphincter muscles may receive follow up exams every 3 months for the first 2 years including rectal exams with endoscopy and biopsy as needed check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage i anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage ii anal cancer treatment of stage ii anal cancer may include the following local resection external beam radiation therapy with chemotherapy if cancer remains after treatment more chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be given to avoid the need for a permanent colostomy internal radiation therapy abdominoperineal resection if cancer remains or comes back after treatment with radiation therapy and chemotherapy a clinical trial of new treatment options patients who have had treatment that saves the sphincter muscles may receive follow up exams every 3 months for the first 2 years including rectal exams with endoscopy and biopsy as needed check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage ii anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage iiia anal cancer treatment of stage iiia anal cancer may include the following external beam radiation therapy with chemotherapy if cancer remains after treatment more chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be given to avoid the need for a permanent colostomy internal radiation therapy abdominoperineal resection if cancer remains or comes back after treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy a clinical trial of new treatment options check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iiia anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage iiib anal cancer treatment of stage iiib anal cancer may include the following external beam radiation therapy with chemotherapy local resection or abdominoperineal resection if cancer remains or comes back after treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy lymph nodes may also be removed a clinical trial of new treatment options check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iiib anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website stage iv anal cancer treatment of stage iv anal cancer may include the following surgery as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life radiation therapy as palliative therapy chemotherapy with radiation therapy as palliative therapy a clinical trial of new treatment options check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage iv anal cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cancer, trial, clinical, therapy, radiation, patient, anal, stage, chemotherapy, type


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Question: what is are childhood liver cancer
Answer: key points childhood liver cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the liver there are different types of childhood liver cancer certain diseases and disorders can increase the risk of childhood liver cancer signs and symptoms of childhood liver cancer include a lump or pain in the abdomen tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to detect find and diagnose childhood liver cancer and find out whether the cancer has spread certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options childhood liver cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the liver the liver is one of the largest organs in the body it has four lobes and fills the upper right side of the abdomen inside the rib cage three of the many important functions of the liver are to filter harmful substances from the blood so they can be passed from the body in stools and urine to make bile to help digest fats from food to store glycogen sugar which the body uses for energy liver cancer is rare in children and adolescents there are different types of childhood liver cancer there are two main types of childhood liver cancer hepatoblastoma hepatoblastoma is the most common type of childhood liver cancer it usually affects children younger than 3 years of age in hepatoblastoma the histology how the cancer cells look under a microscope affects the way the cancer is treated the histology for hepatoblastoma may be one of the following pure fetal histology small cell undifferentiated histology non pure fetal histology non small cell undifferentiated histology hepatocellular carcinoma hepatocellular carcinoma usually affects older children and adolescents it is more common in areas of asia that have high rates of hepatitis infection than in the u s the treatment of two less common types of childhood liver cancer is also discussed in this summary undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver this type of liver cancer usually occurs in children between 5 and 10 years of age it often spreads all through the liver and or to the lungs infantile choriocarcinoma of the liver is a very rare tumor that starts in the placenta and spreads to the fetus the tumor is usually found during the first few months of life also the mother of the child may be diagnosed with choriocarcinoma choriocarcinoma is a type of gestational trophoblastic disease and needs treatment see the gestational trophoblastic disease treatment summary for information on the treatment of choriocarcinoma this summary is about the treatment of primary liver cancer cancer that begins in the liver treatment of metastatic liver cancer which is cancer that begins in other parts of the body and spreads to the liver is not discussed in this summary primary liver cancer can occur in both adults and children however treatment for children is different than treatment for adults see the pdq summary on adult primary liver cancer treatment for more information on the treatment of adults
Keywords: liver, cancer, childhood, child, type, histology, cell, summary, choriocarcinoma, spread


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Question: who is at risk for childhood liver cancer
Answer: certain diseases and disorders can increase the risk of childhood liver cancer anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your childs doctor if you think your child may be at risk risk factors for hepatoblastoma include the following syndromes or conditions aicardi syndrome beckwith wiedemann syndrome familial adenomatous polyposis fap glycogen storage disease a very low weight at birth simpson golabi behmel syndrome certain genetic changes such as trisomy 18 risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma include the following syndromes or conditions alagille syndrome glycogen storage disease hepatitis b virus infection that was passed from mother to child at birth progressive familial intrahepatic disease tyrosinemia some patients with tyrosinemia or progressive familial intrahepatic disease will have a liver transplant before there are signs or symptoms of cancer
Keywords: risk, syndrome, cancer, factor, child, familial, liver, certain, following, get


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Question: what are the symptoms of childhood liver cancer
Answer: signs and symptoms of childhood liver cancer include a lump or pain in the abdomen signs and symptoms are more common after the tumor gets big other conditions can cause the same signs and symptoms check with your childs doctor if your child has any of the following a lump in the abdomen that may be painful swelling in the abdomen weight loss for no known reason loss of appetite nausea and vomiting
Keywords: symptom, abdomen, sign, cancer, child, childhood, liver, loss, lump, cause


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Question: how to diagnose childhood liver cancer
Answer: tests that examine the liver and the blood are used to detect find and diagnose childhood liver cancer and find out whether the cancer has spread the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patient s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken serum tumor marker test a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs tissues or tumor cells in the body certain substances are linked to specific types of cancer when found in increased levels in the blood these are called tumor markers the blood of children who have liver cancer may have increased amounts of a hormone called beta human chorionic gonadotropin hcg or a protein called alpha fetoprotein afp other cancers and certain noncancer conditions including cirrhosis and hepatitis can also increase afp levels complete blood count cbc a procedure in which a sample of blood is drawn and checked for the following the number of red blood cells white blood cells and platelets the amount of hemoglobin the protein that carries oxygen in the red blood cells the portion of the blood sample made up of red blood cells liver function tests a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by the liver a higher than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of liver damage or cancer blood chemistry studies a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances such as bilirubin or lactate dehydrogenase ldh released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body an unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease epstein barr virus ebv test a blood test to check for antibodies to the ebv and dna markers of the ebv these are found in the blood of patients who have been infected with ebv hepatitis assay a procedure in which a blood sample is checked for pieces of the hepatitis virus mri magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the liver a substance called gadolinium is injected into a vein the gadolinium collects around the cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri ultrasound exam a procedure in which high energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes the echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram the picture can be printed to be looked at later in childhood liver cancer an ultrasound exam of the abdomen to check the large blood vessels is usually done ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography in childhood liver cancer a ct scan of the chest and abdomen is usually done abdominal x ray an x ray of the organs in the abdomen an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body onto film making a picture of areas inside the body biopsy the removal of a sample of cells or tissues so it can be viewed under a microscope to check for signs of cancer the sample may be taken during surgery to remove or view the tumor a pathologist looks at the sample under a microscope to find out the type of liver cancer the following test may be done on the sample of tissue that is removed immunohistochemistry a test that uses antibodies to check for certain antigens in a sample of tissue the antibody is usually linked to a radioactive substance or a dye that causes the tissue to light up under a microscope this type of test is used to check for a certain gene mutation and to tell the difference between different types of cancer
Keywords: blood, cancer, liver, procedure, sample, test, tissue, substance, cell, picture


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Question: what is the outlook for childhood liver cancer
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options for hepatoblastoma depend on the following the pretext or posttext group whether the cancer has spread to other places in the body such as the lungs or certain large blood vessels whether the cancer can be removed completely by surgery how the cancer responds to chemotherapy how the cancer cells look under a microscope whether the afp blood levels go down after treatment whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred age of the child the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma depend on the following the pretext or posttext group whether the cancer has spread to other places in the body such as the lungs whether the cancer can be removed completely by surgery how the cancer responds to chemotherapy how the cancer cells look under a microscope whether the child has hepatitis b infection whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred for childhood liver cancer that recurs comes back after initial treatment the prognosis and treatment options depend on where in the body the tumor recurred the type of treatment used to treat the initial cancer childhood liver cancer may be cured if the tumor is small and can be completely removed by surgery complete removal is possible more often for hepatoblastoma than for hepatocellular carcinoma
Keywords: cancer, whether, option, prognosis, body, chance, childhood, depend, recovery, surgery


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Question: what are the stages of childhood liver cancer
Answer: key points after childhood liver cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the liver or to other parts of the body there are two grouping systems for childhood liver cancer there are four pretext and posttext groups pretext and posttext group i pretext and posttext group ii pretext and posttext group iii pretext and posttext group iv there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body after childhood liver cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the liver or to other parts of the body the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the liver to nearby tissues or organs or to other parts of the body is called staging in childhood liver cancer the pretext and posttext groups are used instead of stage to plan treatment the results of the tests and procedures done to detect diagnose and find out whether the cancer has spread are used to determine the pretext and posttext groups there are two grouping systems for childhood liver cancer two grouping systems are used for childhood liver cancer the pretext group describes the tumor before the patient has treatment the posttext group describes the tumor after the patient has treatment there are four pretext and posttext groups the liver is divided into 4 sections the pretext and posttext groups depend on which sections of the liver have cancer pretext and posttext group i in group i the cancer is found in one section of the liver three sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them pretext and posttext group ii in group ii cancer is found in one or two sections of the liver two sections of the liver that are next to each other do not have cancer in them pretext and posttext group iii in group iii one of the following is true cancer is found in three sections of the liver and one section does not have cancer cancer is found in two sections of the liver and two sections that are not next to each other do not have cancer in them pretext and posttext group iv in group iv cancer is found in all four sections of the liver there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if childhood liver cancer spreads to the lung the cancer cells in the lung are actually liver cancer cells the disease is metastatic liver cancer not lung cancer
Keywords: cancer, liver, group, posttext, pretext, spread, body, section, part, system


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Question: what are the treatments for childhood liver cancer
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with childhood liver cancer children with liver cancer should have their treatment planned by a team of healthcare providers who are experts in treating this rare childhood cancer some cancer treatments cause side effects months or years after treatment has ended six types of standard treatment are used surgery watchful waiting chemotherapy radiation therapy ablation therapy antiviral treatment new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials targeted therapy patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with childhood liver cancer different types of treatments are available for children with liver cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment taking part in a clinical trial should be considered for all children with liver cancer some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment children with liver cancer should have their treatment planned by a team of healthcare providers who are experts in treating this rare childhood cancer treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer the pediatric oncologist works with other healthcare providers who are experts in treating children with liver cancer and who specialize in certain areas of medicine it is especially important to have a pediatric surgeon with experience in liver surgery who can send patients to a liver transplant program if needed other specialists may include the following pediatrician radiation oncologist pediatric nurse specialist rehabilitation specialist psychologist social worker some cancer treatments cause side effects months or years after treatment has ended side effects from cancer treatment that begin during or after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects late effects of cancer treatment may include physical problems changes in mood feelings thinking learning or memory second cancers new types of cancer some late effects may be treated or controlled it is important to talk with your child s doctors about the effects cancer treatment can have on your child see the pdq summary on late effects of treatment for childhood cancer for more information six types of standard treatment are used surgery when possible the cancer is removed by surgery partial hepatectomy removal of the part of the liver where cancer is found the part removed may be a wedge of tissue an entire lobe or a larger part of the liver along with a small amount of normal tissue around it total hepatectomy and liver transplant removal of the entire liver followed by a transplant of a healthy liver from a donor a liver transplant may be possible when cancer has not spread beyond the liver and a donated liver can be found if the patient has to wait for a donated liver other treatment is given as needed resection of metastases surgery to remove cancer that has spread outside of the liver such as to nearby tissues the lungs or the brain factors that affect the type of surgery used include the following the pretext group and posttext group the size of the primary tumor whether there is more than one tumor in the liver whether the cancer has spread to nearby large blood vessels the level of alpha fetoprotein afp in the blood whether the tumor can be shrunk by chemotherapy so that it can be removed by surgery whether a liver transplant is needed chemotherapy is sometimes given before surgery to shrink the tumor and make it easier to remove this is called neoadjuvant therapy even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the surgery some patients may be given chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left treatment given after the surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy watchful waiting watchful waiting is closely monitoring a patients condition without giving any treatment until signs or symptoms appear or change in hepatoblastoma this treatment is only used for small tumors that have been completely removed by surgery chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy treatment using more than one anticancer drug is called combination chemotherapy chemoembolization of the hepatic artery the main artery that supplies blood to the liver is a type of regional chemotherapy used to treat childhood liver cancer the anticancer drug is injected into the hepatic artery through a catheter thin tube the drug is mixed with a substance that blocks the artery cutting off blood flow to the tumor most of the anticancer drug is trapped near the tumor and only a small amount of the drug reaches other parts of the body the blockage may be temporary or permanent depending on the substance used to block the artery the tumor is prevented from getting the oxygen and nutrients it needs to grow the liver continues to receive blood from the hepatic portal vein which carries blood from the stomach and intestine this procedure is also called transarterial chemoembolization or tace the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type of the cancer being treated and the pretext or posttext group radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type of the cancer being treated and the pretext or posttext group radioembolization of the hepatic artery the main artery that supplies blood to the liver is a type of internal radiation therapy used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma a very small amount of a radioactive substance is attached to tiny beads that are injected into the hepatic artery through a catheter thin tube the beads are mixed with a substance that blocks the artery cutting off blood flow to the tumor most of the radiation is trapped near the tumor to kill the cancer cells this is done to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for children with hepatocellular carcinoma external radiation therapy is used to treat hepatoblastoma that cannot be removed by surgery or has spread to other parts of the body ablation therapy ablation therapy removes or destroys tissue different types of ablation therapy are used for liver cancer radiofrequency ablation the use of special needles that are inserted directly through the skin or through an incision in the abdomen to reach the tumor high energy radio waves heat the needles and tumor which kills cancer cells radiofrequency ablation is being used to treat recurrent hepatoblastoma percutaneous ethanol injection a small needle is used to inject ethanol pure alcohol directly into a tumor to kill cancer cells several treatments may be needed percutaneous ethanol injection is being used to treat recurrent hepatoblastoma antiviral treatment hepatocellular carcinoma that is linked to the hepatitis b virus may be treated with antiviral drugs new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to attack specific cancer cells targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation therapy do targeted therapy is being studied for the treatment of undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver and liver cancer that has come back patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the treatment group may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for childhood liver cancer hepatoblastoma treatment options for hepatoblastoma that can be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis may include the following surgery to remove the tumor followed by watchful waiting or chemotherapy for hepatoblastoma with pure fetal histology surgery to remove the tumor with combination chemotherapy given either before surgery after surgery or both for hepatoblastoma that is not pure fetal histology for hepatoblastoma with small cell undifferentiated histology aggressive chemotherapy is given treatment options for hepatoblastoma that cannot be removed by surgery or is not removed at the time of diagnosis may include the following combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove the tumor combination chemotherapy followed by a liver transplant chemoembolization of the hepatic artery to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove the tumor for hepatoblastoma that has spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis combination chemotherapy is given to shrink the cancer in the liver and cancer that has spread to other parts of the body after chemotherapy imaging tests are done to check whether the cancer can be removed by surgery treatment options may include the following if the cancer in the liver and other parts of the body can be removed surgery will be done to remove the tumors followed by chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells that may remain if the cancer in the liver cannot be removed by surgery but there are no signs of cancer in other parts of the body the treatment may be a liver transplant if the cancer in other parts of the body cannot be removed or a liver transplant is not possible chemotherapy chemoembolization of the hepatic artery or radiation therapy may be given treatment options in clinical trials for newly diagnosed hepatoblastoma include a clinical trial of new treatment regimens based on how likely it is the cancer will recur after initial treatment hepatocellular carcinoma treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma that can be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis may include the following surgery alone to remove the tumor surgery to remove the tumor followed by chemotherapy combination chemotherapy followed by surgery to remove the tumor treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma that cannot be removed by surgery at the time of diagnosis may include the following chemotherapy to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to completely remove the tumor chemotherapy to shrink the tumor if surgery to completely remove the tumor is not possible further treatment may include the following liver transplant chemoembolization of the hepatic artery to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible or liver transplant chemoembolization of the hepatic artery alone radioembolization of the hepatic artery as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma that has spread to other parts of the body at the time of diagnosis may include combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible from the liver and other places where cancer has spread studies have not shown that this treatment works well but some patients may have some benefit treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma related to hepatitis b virus hbv infection include surgery to remove the tumor antiviral drugs that treat infection caused by the hepatitis b virus undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver treatment options for undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver uesl may include the following combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible chemotherapy may also be given after surgery to remove the tumor surgery to remove the tumor followed by chemotherapy a second surgery may be done to remove tumor that remains followed by more chemotherapy liver transplant if surgery to remove the tumor is not possible a clinical trial of a combination of targeted therapy chemotherapy and or radiation therapy before surgery infantile choriocarcinoma of the liver treatment options for choriocarcinoma of the liver in infants may include the following combination chemotherapy to shrink the tumor followed by surgery to remove the tumor surgery to remove the tumor recurrent childhood liver cancer treatment of recurrent hepatoblastoma may include the following surgery to remove isolated single and separate metastatic tumors with or without chemotherapy combination chemotherapy liver transplant ablation therapy radiofrequency ablation or percutaneous ethanol injection a clinical trial of a new treatment treatment of progressive or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma may include the following chemoembolization of the hepatic artery to shrink the tumor before liver transplant liver transplant a clinical trial of a new treatment treatment options in clinical trials check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with childhood liver cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: cancer, liver, surgery, tumor, chemotherapy, trial, clinical, therapy, remove, part


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for childhood liver cancer
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to attack specific cancer cells targeted therapies usually cause less harm to normal cells than chemotherapy or radiation therapy do targeted therapy is being studied for the treatment of undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver and liver cancer that has come back patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials treatment options in clinical trials check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with childhood liver cancer for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, new, part, therapy, treatment, nci, targeted


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Question: who is at risk for hairy cell leukemia
Answer: gender and age may affect the risk of hairy cell leukemia anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk the cause of hairy cell leukemia is unknown it occurs more often in older men
Keywords: risk, cell, factor, hairy, leukemia, cancer, get, mean, cause, chance


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for hairy cell leukemia
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, patient, part, new, treatment, research, standard, taking


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Question: what are the treatments for hairy cell leukemia
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with hairy cell leukemia five types of standard treatment are used watchful waiting chemotherapy biologic therapy surgery targeted therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with hairy cell leukemia different types of treatment are available for patients with hairy cell leukemia some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment five types of standard treatment are used watchful waiting watchful waiting is closely monitoring a patient s condition without giving any treatment until signs or symptoms appear or change chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated cladribine and pentostatin are anticancer drugs commonly used to treat hairy cell leukemia these drugs may increase the risk of other types of cancer especially hodgkin lymphoma and non hodgkin lymphoma long term follow up for second cancers is very important biologic therapy biologic therapy is a cancer treatment that uses the patients immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the bodys natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy interferon alfa is a biologic agent commonly used to treat hairy cell leukemia see drugs approved for hairy cell leukemia for more information surgery splenectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the spleen targeted therapy targeted therapy is a treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells monoclonal antibody therapy is a type of targeted therapy used to treat hairy cell leukemia monoclonal antibody therapy uses antibodies made in the laboratory from a single type of immune system cell these antibodies can identify substances on cancer cells or normal substances that may help cancer cells grow the antibodies attach to the substances and kill the cancer cells block their growth or keep them from spreading monoclonal antibodies are given by infusion they may be used alone or to carry drugs toxins or radioactive material directly to cancer cells a monoclonal antibody called rituximab may be used for certain patients with hairy cell leukemia other types of targeted therapies are being studied new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for hairy cell leukemia untreated hairy cell leukemia if the patient s blood cell counts are not too low and there are no signs or symptoms treatment may not be needed and the patient is carefully watched for changes in his or her condition if blood cell counts become too low or if signs or symptoms appear initial treatment may include the following chemotherapy splenectomy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with untreated hairy cell leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website progressive hairy cell leukemia treatment for progressive hairy cell leukemia may include the following chemotherapy biologic therapy splenectomy a clinical trial of chemotherapy and targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody rituximab check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with progressive hairy cell leukemia initial treatment for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia treatment of relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia may include the following chemotherapy biologic therapy targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody rituximab high dose chemotherapy a clinical trial of a new biologic therapy a clinical trial of a new targeted therapy a clinical trial of chemotherapy and targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody rituximab check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with refractory hairy cell leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, cell, patient, hairy, leukemia, therapy, type, chemotherapy


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Question: what is are kaposi sarcoma
Answer: key points kaposi sarcoma is a disease in which malignant tumors cancer can form in the skin mucous membranes lymph nodes and other organs tests that examine the skin lungs and gastrointestinal tract are used to detect find and diagnose kaposi sarcoma after kaposi sarcoma has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options kaposi sarcoma is a disease in which malignant tumors cancer can form in the skin mucous membranes lymph nodes and other organs kaposi sarcoma is a cancer that causes lesions abnormal tissue to grow in the skin the mucous membranes lining the mouth nose and throat lymph nodes or other organs the lesions are usually purple and are made of cancer cells new blood vessels red blood cells and white blood cells kaposi sarcoma is different from other cancers in that lesions may begin in more than one place in the body at the same time human herpesvirus 8 hhv 8 is found in the lesions of all patients with kaposi sarcoma this virus is also called kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus kshv most people infected with hhv 8 do not get kaposi sarcoma those infected with hhv 8 who are most likely to develop kaposi sarcoma have immune systems weakened by disease or by drugs given after an organ transplant there are several types of kaposi sarcoma including classic kaposi sarcoma african kaposi sarcoma immunosuppressive therapyrelated kaposi sarcoma epidemic kaposi sarcoma nonepidemic kaposi sarcoma tests that examine the skin lungs and gastrointestinal tract are used to detect find and diagnose kaposi sarcoma the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking skin and lymph nodes for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patient s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body this is used to find kaposi sarcoma in the lungs biopsy the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer one of the following types of biopsies may be done to check for kaposi sarcoma lesions in the skin excisional biopsy a scalpel is used to remove the entire skin growth incisional biopsy a scalpel is used to remove part of a skin growth core biopsy a wide needle is used to remove part of a skin growth fine needle aspiration fna biopsy a thin needle is used to remove part of a skin growth an endoscopy or bronchoscopy may be done to check for kaposi sarcoma lesions in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs endoscopy for biopsy a procedure to look at organs and tissues inside the body to check for abnormal areas an endoscope is inserted through an incision cut in the skin or opening in the body such as the mouth an endoscope is a thin tube like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing it may also have a tool to remove tissue or lymph node samples which are checked under a microscope for signs of disease this is used to find kaposi sarcoma lesions in the gastrointestinal tract bronchoscopy for biopsy a procedure to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas a bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs a bronchoscope is a thin tube like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing it may also have a tool to remove tissue samples which are checked under a microscope for signs of disease this is used to find kaposi sarcoma lesions in the lungs after kaposi sarcoma has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body the following tests and procedures may be used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body blood chemistry studies a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body an unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the lung liver and spleen taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do this imaging test checks for signs of cancer in the lung liver and spleen cd34 lymphocyte count a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amount of cd34 cells a type of white blood cell a lower than normal amount of cd34 cells can be a sign the immune system is not working well certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the type of kaposi sarcoma the general health of the patient especially the patient s immune system whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred come back classic kaposi sarcoma key points classic kaposi sarcoma is found most often in older men of italian or eastern european jewish origin signs of classic kaposi sarcoma may include slow growing lesions on the legs and feet another cancer may develop classic kaposi sarcoma is found most often in older men of italian or eastern european jewish origin classic kaposi sarcoma is a rare disease that gets worse slowly over many years signs of classic kaposi sarcoma may include slow growing lesions on the legs and feet patients may have one or more red purple or brown skin lesions on the legs and feet most often on the ankles or soles of the feet over time lesions may form in other parts of the body such as the stomach intestines or lymph nodes the lesions usually don t cause any symptoms but may grow in size and number over a period of 10 years or more pressure from the lesions may block the flow of lymph and blood in the legs and cause painful swelling lesions in the digestive tract may cause gastrointestinal bleeding another cancer may develop some patients with classic kaposi sarcoma may develop another type of cancer before the kaposi sarcoma lesions appear or later in life most often this second cancer is non hodgkin lymphoma frequent follow up is needed to watch for these second cancers epidemic kaposi sarcoma key points epidemic kaposi sarcoma is found in patients who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome aids signs of epidemic kaposi sarcoma can include lesions that form in many parts of the body the use of drug therapy called cart reduces the risk of epidemic kaposi sarcoma in patients infected with hiv epidemic kaposi sarcoma is found in patients who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome aids epidemic kaposi sarcoma occurs in patients who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome aids aids is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus hiv which attacks and weakens the immune system when the body s immune system is weakened by hiv infections and cancers such as kaposi sarcoma can develop most cases of epidemic kaposi sarcoma in the united states have been diagnosed in homosexual or bisexual men infected with hiv signs of epidemic kaposi sarcoma can include lesions that form in many parts of the body the signs of epidemic kaposi sarcoma can include lesions in different parts of the body including any of the following skin lining of the mouth lymph nodes stomach and intestines lungs and lining of the chest liver spleen kaposi sarcoma is sometimes found in the lining of the mouth during a regular dental check up in most patients with epidemic kaposi sarcoma the disease will spread to other parts of the body over time fever weight loss or diarrhea can occur in the later stages of epidemic kaposi sarcoma life threatening infections are common the use of drug therapy called cart reduces the risk of epidemic kaposi sarcoma in patients infected with hiv combined antiretroviral therapy cart is a combination of several drugs that block hiv and slow down the development of aids and aids related kaposi sarcoma for information about aids and its treatment see the aidsinfo website tests that examine the skin lungs and gastrointestinal tract are used to detect find and diagnose kaposi sarcoma the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking skin and lymph nodes for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patient s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body this is used to find kaposi sarcoma in the lungs biopsy the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer one of the following types of biopsies may be done to check for kaposi sarcoma lesions in the skin excisional biopsy a scalpel is used to remove the entire skin growth incisional biopsy a scalpel is used to remove part of a skin growth core biopsy a wide needle is used to remove part of a skin growth fine needle aspiration fna biopsy a thin needle is used to remove part of a skin growth an endoscopy or bronchoscopy may be done to check for kaposi sarcoma lesions in the gastrointestinal tract or lungs endoscopy for biopsy a procedure to look at organs and tissues inside the body to check for abnormal areas an endoscope is inserted through an incision cut in the skin or opening in the body such as the mouth an endoscope is a thin tube like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing it may also have a tool to remove tissue or lymph node samples which are checked under a microscope for signs of disease this is used to find kaposi sarcoma lesions in the gastrointestinal tract bronchoscopy for biopsy a procedure to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas a bronchoscope is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs a bronchoscope is a thin tube like instrument with a light and a lens for viewing it may also have a tool to remove tissue samples which are checked under a microscope for signs of disease this is used to find kaposi sarcoma lesions in the lungs after kaposi sarcoma has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body the following tests and procedures may be used to find out if cancer has spread to other parts of the body blood chemistry studies a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body an unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body such as the lung liver and spleen taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do this imaging test checks for signs of cancer in the lung liver and spleen cd34 lymphocyte count a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amount of cd34 cells a type of white blood cell a lower than normal amount of cd34 cells can be a sign the immune system is not working well certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the type of kaposi sarcoma the general health of the patient especially the patient s immune system whether the cancer has just been diagnosed or has recurred come back
Keywords: kaposi, sarcoma, body, lesion, used, cancer, skin, sign, cell, procedure


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Question: what research or clinical trials is being done for kaposi sarcoma
Answer: new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells monoclonal antibody therapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors tkis are types of targeted therapy being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma monoclonal antibody therapy is a cancer treatment that uses antibodies made in the laboratory from a single type of immune system cell these antibodies can identify substances on cancer cells or normal substances that may help cancer cells grow the antibodies attach to the substances and kill the cancer cells block their growth or keep them from spreading monoclonal antibodies are given by infusion these may be used alone or to carry drugs toxins or radioactive material directly to cancer cells bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that is being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma tkis are targeted therapy drugs that block signals needed for tumors to grow imatinib mesylate is a tki being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials
Keywords: trial, clinical, cancer, antibody, cell, patient, new, part, therapy, treatment


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Question: what are the treatments for kaposi sarcoma
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with kaposi sarcoma treatment of epidemic kaposi sarcoma combines treatment for kaposi sarcoma with treatment for aids four types of standard treatment are used to treat kaposi sarcoma radiation therapy surgery chemotherapy biologic therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials targeted therapy treatment for kaposi sarcoma may cause side effects patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with kaposi sarcoma different types of treatments are available for patients with kaposi sarcoma some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment treatment of epidemic kaposi sarcoma combines treatment for kaposi sarcoma with treatment for aids for the treatment of epidemic kaposi sarcoma combined antiretroviral therapy cart is used to slow the progression of aids cart may be combined with anticancer drugs and medicines that prevent and treat infections four types of standard treatment are used to treat kaposi sarcoma radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type of the cancer being treated certain types of external radiation therapy are used to treat kaposi sarcoma lesions photon radiation therapy treats lesions with high energy light electron beam radiation therapy uses tiny negatively charged particles called electrons surgery the following surgical procedures may be used for kaposi sarcoma to treat small surface lesions local excision the cancer is cut from the skin along with a small amount of normal tissue around it electrodesiccation and curettage the tumor is cut from the skin with a curette a sharp spoon shaped tool a needle shaped electrode is then used to treat the area with an electric current that stops the bleeding and destroys cancer cells that remain around the edge of the wound the process may be repeated one to three times during the surgery to remove all of the cancer cryosurgery a treatment that uses an instrument to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue this type of treatment is also called cryotherapy chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ tissue or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy in electrochemotherapy intravenous chemotherapy is given and a probe is used to send electric pulses to the tumor the pulses make an opening in the membrane around the tumor cell and allow the chemotherapy to get inside electrochemotherapy is being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma the way the chemotherapy is given depends on where the kaposi sarcoma lesions occur in the body in kaposi sarcoma chemotherapy may be given in the following ways for local kaposi sarcoma lesions such as in the mouth anticancer drugs may be injected directly into the lesion intralesional chemotherapy for local lesions on the skin a topical agent may be applied to the skin as a gel electrochemotherapy may also be used for widespread lesions on the skin intravenous chemotherapy may be given liposomal chemotherapy uses liposomes very tiny fat particles to carry anticancer drugs liposomal doxorubicin is used to treat kaposi sarcoma the liposomes build up in kaposi sarcoma tissue more than in healthy tissue and the doxorubicin is released slowly this increases the effect of the doxorubicin and causes less damage to healthy tissue see drugs approved for kaposi sarcoma for more information biologic therapy biologic therapy is a treatment that uses the patient s immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the body s natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy interferon alfa is a biologic agent used to treat kaposi sarcoma see drugs approved for kaposi sarcoma for more information treatment for kaposi sarcoma may cause side effects for information about side effects caused by treatment for cancer see our side effects page new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells monoclonal antibody therapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors tkis are types of targeted therapy being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma monoclonal antibody therapy is a cancer treatment that uses antibodies made in the laboratory from a single type of immune system cell these antibodies can identify substances on cancer cells or normal substances that may help cancer cells grow the antibodies attach to the substances and kill the cancer cells block their growth or keep them from spreading monoclonal antibodies are given by infusion these may be used alone or to carry drugs toxins or radioactive material directly to cancer cells bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that is being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma tkis are targeted therapy drugs that block signals needed for tumors to grow imatinib mesylate is a tki being studied in the treatment of kaposi sarcoma patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for kaposi sarcoma classic kaposi sarcoma treatment for single lesions may include the following radiation therapy surgery treatment for lesions all over the body may include the following radiation therapy chemotherapy a clinical trial of electrochemotherapy treatment for kaposi sarcoma that affects lymph nodes or the gastrointestinal tract usually includes chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with classic kaposi sarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website immunosuppressive therapyrelated kaposi sarcoma treatment for immunosuppressive therapyrelated kaposi sarcoma may include the following stopping or reducing immunosuppressive drug therapy radiation therapy chemotherapy using one or more anticancer drugs check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with immunosuppressive treatment related kaposi sarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website epidemic kaposi sarcoma treatment for epidemic kaposi sarcoma may include the following surgery including local excision or electrodesiccation and curettage cryosurgery radiation therapy chemotherapy using one or more anticancer drugs biologic therapy a clinical trial of new drug therapy biologic therapy or targeted therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with aids related kaposi sarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website recurrent kaposi sarcoma treatment for recurrent kaposi sarcoma depends on which type of kaposi sarcoma the patient has treatment may include a clinical trial of a new therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent kaposi sarcoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, kaposi, sarcoma, clinical, cancer, therapy, type, drug, patient, chemotherapy


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Question: what is are male breast cancer
Answer: key points male breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast radiation exposure high levels of estrogen and a family history of breast cancer can increase a mans risk of breast cancer male breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations changes men with breast cancer usually have lumps that can be felt tests that examine the breasts are used to detect find and diagnose breast cancer in men if cancer is found tests are done to study the cancer cells survival for men with breast cancer is similar to survival for women with breast cancer certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options male breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the breast breast cancer may occur in men men at any age may develop breast cancer but it is usually detected found in men between 60 and 70 years of age male breast cancer makes up less than 1 of all cases of breast cancer the following types of breast cancer are found in men infiltrating ductal carcinoma cancer that has spread beyond the cells lining ducts in the breast most men with breast cancer have this type of cancer ductal carcinoma in situ abnormal cells that are found in the lining of a duct also called intraductal carcinoma inflammatory breast cancer a type of cancer in which the breast looks red and swollen and feels warm paget disease of the nipple a tumor that has grown from ducts beneath the nipple onto the surface of the nipple lobular carcinoma in situ abnormal cells found in one of the lobes or sections of the breast which sometimes occurs in women has not been seen in men men with breast cancer usually have lumps that can be felt lumps and other signs may be caused by male breast cancer or by other conditions check with your doctor if you notice a change in your breasts
Keywords: breast, cancer, men, cell, male, found, carcinoma, duct, lump, nipple


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Question: who is at risk for male breast cancer
Answer: radiation exposure high levels of estrogen and a family history of breast cancer can increase a mans risk of breast cancer anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk risk factors for breast cancer in men may include the following being exposed to radiation having a disease linked to high levels of estrogen in the body such as cirrhosis liver disease or klinefelter syndrome a genetic disorder having several female relatives who have had breast cancer especially relatives who have an alteration of the brca2 gene
Keywords: risk, cancer, breast, factor, estrogen, high, increase, level, mean, relative


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Question: is male breast cancer inherited
Answer: male breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations changes the genes in cells carry the hereditary information that is received from a persons parents hereditary breast cancer makes up about 5 to 10 of all breast cancer some mutated genes related to breast cancer are more common in certain ethnic groups men who have a mutated gene related to breast cancer have an increased risk of this disease there are tests that can detect find mutated genes these genetic tests are sometimes done for members of families with a high risk of cancer see the following pdq summaries for more information genetics of breast and gynecologic cancers breast cancer prevention breast cancer screening
Keywords: cancer, breast, gene, mutated, hereditary, information, inherited, male, sometimes, test


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Question: what are the symptoms of male breast cancer
Answer: men with breast cancer usually have lumps that can be felt lumps and other signs may be caused by male breast cancer or by other conditions check with your doctor if you notice a change in your breasts
Keywords: breast, cancer, lump, male, caused, change, check, condition, felt, men


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Question: how to diagnose male breast cancer
Answer: tests that examine the breasts are used to detect find and diagnose breast cancer in men the following tests and procedures may be used physical exam and history an exam of the body to check general signs of health including checking for signs of disease such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual a history of the patients health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken clinical breast exam cbe an exam of the breast by a doctor or other health professional the doctor will carefully feel the breasts and under the arms for lumps or anything else that seems unusual ultrasound exam a procedure in which high energy sound waves ultrasound are bounced off internal tissues or organs and make echoes the echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram the picture can be printed to be looked at later mri magnetic resonance imaging a procedure that uses a magnet radio waves and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body this procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging nmri blood chemistry studies a procedure in which a blood sample is checked to measure the amounts of certain substances released into the blood by organs and tissues in the body an unusual higher or lower than normal amount of a substance can be a sign of disease biopsy the removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist to check for signs of cancer the following are different types of biopsies fine needle aspiration fna biopsy the removal of tissue or fluid using a thin needle core biopsy the removal of tissue using a wide needle excisional biopsy the removal of an entire lump of tissue if cancer is found tests are done to study the cancer cells decisions about the best treatment are based on the results of these tests the tests give information about how quickly the cancer may grow how likely it is that the cancer will spread through the body how well certain treatments might work how likely the cancer is to recur come back tests include the following estrogen and progesterone receptor test a test to measure the amount of estrogen and progesterone hormones receptors in cancer tissue if cancer is found in the breast tissue from the tumor is checked in the laboratory to find out whether estrogen and progesterone could affect the way cancer grows the test results show whether hormone therapy may stop the cancer from growing her2 test a test to measure the amount of her2 in cancer tissue her2 is a growth factor protein that sends growth signals to cells when cancer forms the cells may make too much of the protein causing more cancer cells to grow if cancer is found in the breast tissue from the tumor is checked in the laboratory to find out if there is too much her2 in the cells the test results show whether monoclonal antibody therapy may stop the cancer from growing
Keywords: cancer, test, tissue, breast, cell, biopsy, body, exam, procedure, sign


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Question: what is the outlook for male breast cancer
Answer: survival for men with breast cancer is similar to survival for women with breast cancer survival for men with breast cancer is similar to that for women with breast cancer when their stage at diagnosis is the same breast cancer in men however is often diagnosed at a later stage cancer found at a later stage may be less likely to be cured certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the stage of the cancer whether it is in the breast only or has spread to other places in the body the type of breast cancer estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor levels in the tumor tissue whether the cancer is also found in the other breast the patients age and general health
Keywords: cancer, breast, stage, men, survival, chance, option, prognosis, receptor, recovery


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Question: what are the stages of male breast cancer
Answer: key points after breast cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body the following stages are used for male breast cancer stage 0 carcinoma in situ stage i stage ii stage iiia stage iiib stage iiic stage iv after breast cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body after breast cancer has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body this process is called staging the information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment breast cancer in men is staged the same as it is in women the spread of cancer from the breast to lymph nodes and other parts of the body appears to be similar in men and women the following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process sentinel lymph node biopsy the removal of the sentinel lymph node during surgery the sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor it is the first lymph node the cancer is likely to spread to from the tumor a radioactive substance and or blue dye is injected near the tumor the substance or dye flows through the lymph ducts to the lymph nodes the first lymph node to receive the substance or dye is removed a pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells if cancer cells are not found it may not be necessary to remove more lymph nodes chest x ray an x ray of the organs and bones inside the chest an x ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film making a picture of areas inside the body ct scan cat scan a procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body taken from different angles the pictures are made by a computer linked to an x ray machine a dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly this procedure is also called computed tomography computerized tomography or computerized axial tomography bone scan a procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells such as cancer cells in the bone a very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream the radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner pet scan positron emission tomography scan a procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body a small amount of radioactive glucose sugar is injected into a vein the pet scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells do there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if breast cancer spreads to the bone the cancer cells in the bone are actually breast cancer cells the disease is metastatic breast cancer not bone cancer the following stages are used for male breast cancer this section describes the stages of breast cancer the breast cancer stage is based on the results of testing that is done on the tumor and lymph nodes removed during surgery and other tests stage 0 carcinoma in situ there are 3 types of breast carcinoma in situ ductal carcinoma in situ dcis is a noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct the abnormal cells have not spread outside the duct to other tissues in the breast in some cases dcis may become invasive cancer and spread to other tissues at this time there is no way to know which lesions could become invasive paget disease of the nipple is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the nipple only lobular carcinoma in situ lcis is a condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lobules of the breast this condition has not been seen in men stage i in stage i cancer has formed stage i is divided into stages ia and ib in stage ia the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller cancer has not spread outside the breast in stage ib small clusters of breast cancer cells larger than 0 2 millimeter but not larger than 2 millimeters are found in the lymph nodes and either no tumor is found in the breast or the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller stage ii stage ii is divided into stages iia and iib in stage iia no tumor is found in the breast or the tumor is 2 centimeters or smaller cancer larger than 2 millimeters is found in 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or in the lymph nodes near the breastbone found during a sentinel lymph node biopsy or the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes in stage iib the tumor is larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters small clusters of breast cancer cells larger than 0 2 millimeter but not larger than 2 millimeters are found in the lymph nodes or larger than 2 centimeters but not larger than 5 centimeters cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or to the lymph nodes near the breastbone found during a sentinel lymph node biopsy or larger than 5 centimeters cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes stage iiia in stage iiia no tumor is found in the breast or the tumor may be any size cancer is found in 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes or in the lymph nodes near the breastbone found during imaging tests or a physical exam or the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters small clusters of breast cancer cells larger than 0 2 millimeter but not larger than 2 millimeters are found in the lymph nodes or the tumor is larger than 5 centimeters cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or to the lymph nodes near the breastbone found during a sentinel lymph node biopsy stage iiib in stage iiib the tumor may be any size and cancer has spread to the chest wall and or to the skin of the breast and caused swelling or an ulcer also cancer may have spread to up to 9 axillary lymph nodes or the lymph nodes near the breastbone cancer that has spread to the skin of the breast may also be inflammatory breast cancer see the section on inflammatory male breast cancer for more information stage iiic in stage iiic no tumor is found in the breast or the tumor may be any size cancer may have spread to the skin of the breast and caused swelling or an ulcer and or has spread to the chest wall also cancer has spread to 10 or more axillary lymph nodes or lymph nodes above or below the collarbone or axillary lymph nodes and lymph nodes near the breastbone cancer that has spread to the skin of the breast may also be inflammatory breast cancer see the section on inflammatory male breast cancer for more information for treatment stage iiic breast cancer is divided into operable and inoperable stage iiic stage iv in stage iv cancer has spread to other organs of the body most often the bones lungs liver or brain
Keywords: cancer, lymph, breast, stage, node, spread, tumor, body, cell, found


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Question: what are the treatments for male breast cancer
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for men with breast cancer five types of standard treatment are used to treat men with breast cancer surgery chemotherapy hormone therapy radiation therapy targeted therapy treatment for male breast cancer may cause side effects there are different types of treatment for men with breast cancer different types of treatment are available for men with breast cancer some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country information about clinical trials is available from the nci website choosing the most appropriate cancer treatment is a decision that ideally involves the patient family and health care team five types of standard treatment are used to treat men with breast cancer surgery surgery for men with breast cancer is usually a modified radical mastectomy removal of the breast many of the lymph nodes under the arm the lining over the chest muscles and sometimes part of the chest wall muscles breast conserving surgery an operation to remove the cancer but not the breast itself is also used for some men with breast cancer a lumpectomy is done to remove the tumor lump and a small amount of normal tissue around it radiation therapy is given after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated see drugs approved for breast cancer for more information hormone therapy hormone therapy is a cancer treatment that removes hormones or blocks their action and stops cancer cells from growing hormones are substances made by glands in the body and circulated in the bloodstream some hormones can cause certain cancers to grow if tests show that the cancer cells have places where hormones can attach receptors drugs surgery or radiation therapy is used to reduce the production of hormones or block them from working see drugs approved for breast cancer for more information radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated external radiation therapy is used to treat male breast cancer targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells monoclonal antibody therapy is a type of targeted therapy used to treat men with breast cancer monoclonal antibody therapy uses antibodies made in the laboratory from a single type of immune system cell these antibodies can identify substances on cancer cells or normal substances that may help cancer cells grow the antibodies attach to the substances and kill the cancer cells block their growth or keep them from spreading monoclonal antibodies are given by infusion they may be used alone or to carry drugs toxins or radioactive material directly to cancer cells monoclonal antibodies are also used with chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy treatment given after surgery to lower the risk that the cancer will come back trastuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the effects of the growth factor protein her2 see drugs approved for breast cancer for more information treatment for male breast cancer may cause side effects for information about side effects caused by treatment for cancer see our side effects page treatment options for male breast cancer initial surgery treatment for men diagnosed with breast cancer is usually modified radical mastectomy breast conserving surgery with lumpectomy may be used for some men adjuvant therapy therapy given after an operation when cancer cells can no longer be seen is called adjuvant therapy even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the operation the patient may be given radiation therapy chemotherapy hormone therapy and or targeted therapy after surgery to try to kill any cancer cells that may be left node negative for men whose cancer is node negative cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes adjuvant therapy should be considered on the same basis as for a woman with breast cancer because there is no evidence that response to therapy is different for men and women node positive for men whose cancer is node positive cancer has spread to the lymph nodes adjuvant therapy may include the following chemotherapy plus tamoxifen to block the effect of estrogen other hormone therapy targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody trastuzumab these treatments appear to increase survival in men as they do in women the patients response to hormone therapy depends on whether there are hormone receptors proteins in the tumor most breast cancers in men have these receptors hormone therapy is usually recommended for male breast cancer patients but it can have many side effects including hot flashes and impotence the inability to have an erection adequate for sexual intercourse distant metastases treatment for men with distant metastases cancer that has spread to other parts of the body may be hormone therapy chemotherapy or both hormone therapy may include the following orchiectomy the removal of the testicles to decrease the amount of hormone made luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonist with or without total androgen blockade to decrease the the amount of sex hormones made tamoxifen for cancer that is estrogen receptor positive progestin a female hormone made in a laboratory aromatase inhibitors to decrease the amount of estrogen made hormone therapies may be used in sequence one after the other standard chemotherapy regimens may be used if hormone therapy does not work men usually respond to therapy in the same way as women who have breast cancer
Keywords: cancer, therapy, breast, hormone, cell, men, chemotherapy, radiation, trial, type


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Question: what is the outlook for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following the age of the patient whether the cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord whether there are certain changes in the genes including the philadelphia chromosome whether the cancer has been treated before or has recurred come back
Keywords: whether, cancer, certain, chance, option, prognosis, recovery, acute, back, change


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Question: who is at risk for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: previous chemotherapy and exposure to radiation may increase the risk of developing all anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer not having risk factors doesnt mean that you will not get cancer talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk possible risk factors for all include the following being male being white being older than 70 past treatment with chemotherapy or radiation therapy being exposed to high levels of radiation in the environment such as nuclear radiation having certain genetic disorders such as down syndrome
Keywords: risk, factor, radiation, cancer, chemotherapy, get, increase, mean, developing, disorder


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Question: what are the treatments for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with adult all the treatment of adult all usually has two phases four types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy radiation therapy chemotherapy with stem cell transplant targeted therapy new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials biologic therapy patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment patients with all may have late effects after treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with adult all different types of treatment are available for patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia all some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment the treatment of adult all usually has two phases the treatment of adult all is done in phases remission induction therapy this is the first phase of treatment the goal is to kill the leukemia cells in the blood and bone marrow this puts the leukemia into remission post remission therapy this is the second phase of treatment it begins once the leukemia is in remission the goal of post remission therapy is to kill any remaining leukemia cells that may not be active but could begin to regrow and cause a relapse this phase is also called remission continuation therapy treatment called central nervous system cns sanctuary therapy is usually given during each phase of therapy because standard doses of chemotherapy may not reach leukemia cells in the cns brain and spinal cord the cells are able to find sanctuary hide in the cns systemic chemotherapy given in high doses intrathecal chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the brain are able to reach leukemia cells in the cns they are given to kill the leukemia cells and lessen the chance the leukemia will recur come back cns sanctuary therapy is also called cns prophylaxis four types of standard treatment are used chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid intrathecal chemotherapy an organ or a body cavity such as the abdomen the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas regional chemotherapy combination chemotherapy is treatment using more than one anticancer drug the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated intrathecal chemotherapy may be used to treat adult all that has spread or may spread to the brain and spinal cord when used to lessen the chance leukemia cells will spread to the brain and spinal cord it is called central nervous system cns sanctuary therapy or cns prophylaxis see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type of cancer external radiation therapy may be used to treat adult all that has spread or may spread to the brain and spinal cord when used this way it is called central nervous system cns sanctuary therapy or cns prophylaxis external radiation therapy may also be used as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life chemotherapy with stem cell transplant stem cell transplant is a method of giving chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient or a donor and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body s blood cells see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information targeted therapy targeted therapy is a type of treatment that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells targeted therapy drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors are used to treat some types of adult all these drugs block the enzyme tyrosine kinase that causes stem cells to develop into more white blood cells blasts than the body needs three of the drugs used are imatinib mesylate gleevec dasatinib and nilotinib see drugs approved for acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more information new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials this summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials it may not mention every new treatment being studied information about clinical trials is available from the nci website biologic therapy biologic therapy is a treatment that uses the patient s immune system to fight cancer substances made by the body or made in a laboratory are used to boost direct or restore the body s natural defenses against cancer this type of cancer treatment is also called biotherapy or immunotherapy patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials patients with all may have late effects after treatment side effects from cancer treatment that begin during or after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects late effects of treatment for all may include the risk of second cancers new types of cancer regular follow up exams are very important for long term survivors follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia untreated adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia standard treatment of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia all during the remission induction phase includes the following combination chemotherapy tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy with imatinib mesylate in certain patients some of these patients will also have combination chemotherapy supportive care including antibiotics and red blood cell and platelet transfusions cns prophylaxis therapy including chemotherapy intrathecal and or systemic with or without radiation therapy to the brain check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with untreated adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission standard treatment of adult all during the post remission phase includes the following chemotherapy tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy chemotherapy with stem cell transplant cns prophylaxis therapy including chemotherapy intrathecal and or systemic with or without radiation therapy to the brain check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website recurrent adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia standard treatment of recurrent adult all may include the following combination chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant low dose radiation therapy as palliative care to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy with dasatinib for certain patients some of the treatments being studied in clinical trials for recurrent adult all include the following a clinical trial of stem cell transplant using the patient s stem cells a clinical trial of biologic therapy a clinical trial of new anticancer drugs check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your doctor about clinical trials that may be right for you general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: trial, clinical, therapy, cancer, cell, chemotherapy, patient, leukemia, adult, type


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Question: what is are retinoblastoma
Answer: key points retinoblastoma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the retina retinoblastoma occurs in heritable and nonheritable forms treatment for both forms of retinoblastoma should include genetic counseling children with a family history of retinoblastoma should have eye exams to check for retinoblastoma a child who has heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of trilateral retinoblastoma and other cancers signs and symptoms of retinoblastoma include white pupil and eye pain or redness tests that examine the retina are used to detect find and diagnose retinoblastoma certain factors affect prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options retinoblastoma is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the retina the retina is the nerve tissue that lines the inside of the back of the eye the retina senses light and sends images to the brain by way of the optic nerve although retinoblastoma may occur at any age it occurs most often in children younger than 2 years the cancer may be in one eye unilateral or in both eyes bilateral retinoblastoma rarely spreads from the eye to nearby tissue or other parts of the body cavitary retinoblastoma is a rare type of retinoblastoma in which cavities hollow spaces form within the tumor treatment for both forms of retinoblastoma should include genetic counseling parents should receive genetic counseling a discussion with a trained professional about the risk of genetic diseases to discuss genetic testing to check for a mutation change in the rb1 gene genetic counseling also includes a discussion of the risk of retinoblastoma for the child and the child s brothers or sisters
Keywords: retinoblastoma, eye, form, genetic, child, retina, cancer, counseling, tissue, risk


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Question: who is at risk for retinoblastoma
Answer: a child who has heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of trilateral retinoblastoma and other cancers a child with heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of a pineal tumor in the brain when retinoblastoma and a brain tumor occur at the same time it is called trilateral retinoblastoma the brain tumor is usually diagnosed between 20 and 36 months of age regular screening using mri magnetic resonance imaging may be done for a child thought to have heritable retinoblastoma or for a child with retinoblastoma in one eye and a family history of the disease ct computerized tomography scans are usually not used for routine screening in order to avoid exposing the child to ionizing radiation heritable retinoblastoma also increases the child s risk of other types of cancer such as lung cancer bladder cancer or melanoma in later years regular follow up exams are important
Keywords: retinoblastoma, child, cancer, heritable, risk, brain, tumor, increased, regular, screening


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Question: what is the outlook for retinoblastoma
Answer: the prognosis chance of recovery and treatment options depend on the following whether the cancer is in one or both eyes the size and number of tumors whether the tumor has spread to the area around the eye to the brain or to other parts of the body whether there are symptoms at the time of diagnosis for trilateral retinoblastoma the age of the child how likely it is that vision can be saved in one or both eyes whether a second type of cancer has formed
Keywords: whether, eye, cancer, retinoblastoma, tumor, age, around, body, child, depend


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Question: what are the stages of retinoblastoma
Answer: key points after retinoblastoma has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the eye or to other parts of the body the international retinoblastoma staging system irss may be used for staging retinoblastoma stage 0 stage i stage ii stage iii stage iv there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body treatment for retinoblastoma depends on whether it is intraocular within the eye or extraocular outside the eye intraocular retinoblastoma extraocular retinoblastoma metastatic after retinoblastoma has been diagnosed tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the eye or to other parts of the body the process used to find out if cancer has spread within the eye or to other parts of the body is called staging the information gathered from the staging process determines whether retinoblastoma is only in the eye intraocular or has spread outside the eye extraocular it is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment the results of the tests used to diagnose cancer are often also used to stage the disease see the general information section the following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process bone scan a procedure to check if there are rapidly dividing cells such as cancer cells in the bone a very small amount of radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream the radioactive material collects in the bones and is detected by a scanner that also takes a picture of the body areas of bone with cancer show up brighter in the picture because they take up more radioactive material than normal bone cells do bone marrow aspiration and biopsy the removal of bone marrow and a small piece of bone by inserting a hollow needle into the hipbone or breastbone a pathologist views the bone marrow under a microscope to look for signs of cancer a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy is done if the doctor thinks the cancer has spread outside of the eye lumbar puncture a procedure used to collect cerebrospinal fluid csf from the spinal column this is done by placing a needle between two bones in the spine and into the csf around the spinal cord and removing a sample of the fluid the sample of csf is checked under a microscope for signs that the cancer has spread to the brain and spinal cord this procedure is also called an lp or spinal tap the international retinoblastoma staging system irss may be used for staging retinoblastoma there are several staging systems for retinoblastoma the irss stages are based on how much cancer remains after surgery to remove the tumor and whether the cancer has spread stage 0 the tumor is in the eye only the eye has not been removed and the tumor was treated without surgery stage i the tumor is in the eye only the eye has been removed and no cancer cells remain stage ii the tumor is in the eye only the eye has been removed and there are cancer cells left that can be seen only with a microscope stage iii stage iii is divided into stages iiia and iiib in stage iiia cancer has spread from the eye to tissues around the eye socket in stage iiib cancer has spread from the eye to lymph nodes near the ear or in the neck stage iv stage iv is divided into stages iva and ivb in stage iva cancer has spread to the blood but not to the brain or spinal cord one or more tumors may have spread to other parts of the body such as the bone or liver in stage ivb cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord it also may have spread to other parts of the body there are three ways that cancer spreads in the body cancer can spread through tissue the lymph system and the blood tissue the cancer spreads from where it began by growing into nearby areas lymph system the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the lymph system the cancer travels through the lymph vessels to other parts of the body blood the cancer spreads from where it began by getting into the blood the cancer travels through the blood vessels to other parts of the body cancer may spread from where it began to other parts of the body when cancer spreads to another part of the body it is called metastasis cancer cells break away from where they began the primary tumor and travel through the lymph system or blood lymph system the cancer gets into the lymph system travels through the lymph vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body blood the cancer gets into the blood travels through the blood vessels and forms a tumor metastatic tumor in another part of the body the metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor for example if retinoblastoma spreads to the bone the cancer cells in the bone are actually retinoblastoma cells the disease is metastatic retinoblastoma not bone cancer treatment for retinoblastoma depends on whether it is intraocular within the eye or extraocular outside the eye intraocular retinoblastoma in intraocular retinoblastoma cancer is found in one or both eyes and may be in the retina only or may also be in other parts of the eye such as the choroid ciliary body or part of the optic nerve cancer has not spread to tissues around the outside of the eye or to other parts of the body extraocular retinoblastoma metastatic in extraocular retinoblastoma cancer has spread beyond the eye it may be found in tissues around the eye orbital retinoblastoma or it may have spread to the central nervous system brain and spinal cord or to other parts of the body such as the liver bones bone marrow or lymph nodes
Keywords: cancer, spread, eye, stage, retinoblastoma, body, bone, part, tumor, system


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Question: what are the treatments for retinoblastoma
Answer: key points there are different types of treatment for patients with retinoblastoma children with retinoblastoma should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating cancer in children treatment for retinoblastoma may cause side effects six types of standard treatment are used cryotherapy thermotherapy chemotherapy radiation therapy high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue surgery enucleation new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment follow up tests may be needed there are different types of treatment for patients with retinoblastoma different types of treatment are available for patients with retinoblastoma some treatments are standard the currently used treatment and some are being tested in clinical trials a treatment clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer when clinical trials show that a new treatment is better than the standard treatment the new treatment may become the standard treatment because cancer in children is rare taking part in a clinical trial should be considered some clinical trials are open only to patients who have not started treatment children with retinoblastoma should have their treatment planned by a team of health care providers who are experts in treating cancer in children the goals of treatment are to save the child s life to save vision and the eye and to prevent serious side effects treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist a doctor who specializes in treating children with cancer the pediatric oncologist works with other health care providers who are experts in treating children with eye cancer and who specialize in certain areas of medicine these may include a pediatric ophthalmologist children s eye doctor who has a lot of experience in treating retinoblastoma and the following specialists pediatric surgeon radiation oncologist pediatrician pediatric nurse specialist rehabilitation specialist social worker geneticist or genetic counselor treatment for retinoblastoma may cause side effects for information about side effects that begin during treatment for cancer see our side effects page side effects from cancer treatment that begin after treatment and continue for months or years are called late effects late effects of treatment for retinoblastoma may include the following physical problems such as seeing or hearing problems or if the eye is removed a change in the shape and size of the bone around the eye changes in mood feelings thinking learning or memory second cancers new types of cancer such as lung and bladder cancers osteosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma or melanoma the following risk factors may increase the risk of having another cancer having the heritable form of retinoblastoma past treatment with radiation therapy especially before age 1 year having already had a previous second cancer it is important to talk with your child s doctors about the effects cancer treatment can have on your child regular follow up by health professionals who are experts in diagnosing and treating late effects is important see the pdq summary on late effects of treatment for childhood cancer for more information six types of standard treatment are used cryotherapy cryotherapy is a treatment that uses an instrument to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue this type of treatment is also called cryosurgery thermotherapy thermotherapy is the use of heat to destroy cancer cells thermotherapy may be given using a laser beam aimed through the dilated pupil or onto the outside of the eyeball thermotherapy may be used alone for small tumors or combined with chemotherapy for larger tumors this treatment is a type of laser therapy chemotherapy chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing the way the chemotherapy is given depends on the stage of the cancer and where the cancer is in the body there are different types of chemotherapy systemic chemotherapy when chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body systemic chemotherapy is given to shrink the tumor chemoreduction and avoid surgery to remove the eye after chemoreduction other treatments may include radiation therapy cryotherapy laser therapy or regional chemotherapy systemic chemotherapy may also be given to kill any cancer cells that are left after the initial treatment or to patients with retinoblastoma that occurs outside the eye treatment given after the initial treatment to lower the risk that the cancer will come back is called adjuvant therapy regional chemotherapy when chemotherapy is placed directly into the cerebrospinal fluid intrathecal chemotherapy an organ such as the eye or a body cavity the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas several types of regional chemotherapy are used to treat retinoblastoma ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy carries anticancer drugs directly to the eye a catheter is put into an artery that leads to the eye and the anticancer drug is given through the catheter after the drug is given a small balloon may be inserted into the artery to block it and keep most of the anticancer drug trapped near the tumor this type of chemotherapy may be given as the initial treatment when the tumor is in the eye only or when the tumor has not responded to other types of treatment ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy is given at special retinoblastoma treatment centers intravitreal chemotherapy intravitreal chemotherapy is the injection of anticancer drugs directly into the vitreous humor jelly like substance inside in the eye it is used to treat cancer that has spread to the vitreous humor and has not responded to treatment or has come back after treatment see drugs approved for retinoblastoma for more information radiation therapy radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy x rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing there are two types of radiation therapy external beam radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer certain ways of giving radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue these types of radiation therapy include the following intensity modulated radiation therapy imrt imrt is a type of 3 dimensional 3 d external radiation therapy that uses a computer to make pictures of the size and shape of the tumor thin beams of radiation of different intensities strengths are aimed at the tumor from many angles proton beam radiation therapy proton beam therapy is a type of high energy external radiation therapy a radiation therapy machine aims streams of protons tiny invisible positively charged particles at the cancer cells to kill them internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles seeds wires or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer certain ways of giving radiation therapy can help keep radiation from damaging nearby healthy tissue this type of internal radiation therapy may include the following plaque radiotherapy radioactive seeds are attached to one side of a disk called a plaque and placed directly on the outside wall of the eye near the tumor the side of the plaque with the seeds on it faces the eyeball aiming radiation at the tumor the plaque helps protect other nearby tissue from the radiation the way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated and how the cancer responded to other treatments external and internal radiation therapy are used to treat retinoblastoma high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue is a way of giving high doses of chemotherapy and replacing blood forming cells destroyed by the cancer treatment stem cells immature blood cells are removed from the blood or bone marrow of the patient and are frozen and stored after the chemotherapy is completed the stored stem cells are thawed and given back to the patient through an infusion these reinfused stem cells grow into and restore the body s blood cells see drugs approved for retinoblastoma for more information surgery enucleation enucleation is surgery to remove the eye and part of the optic nerve a sample of the eye tissue that is removed will be checked under a microscope to see if there are any signs that the cancer is likely to spread to other parts of the body this should be done by an experienced pathologist who is familiar with retinoblastoma and other diseases of the eye enucleation is done if there is little or no chance that vision can be saved and when the tumor is large did not respond to treatment or comes back after treatment the patient will be fitted for an artificial eye close follow up is needed for 2 years or more to check for signs of recurrence in the area around the affected eye and to check the other eye new types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials information about clinical trials is available from the nci website patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial for some patients taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice clinical trials are part of the cancer research process clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment many of today s standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments they often answer important questions and help move research forward patients can enter clinical trials before during or after starting their cancer treatment some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better there are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring coming back or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country see the treatment options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials these have been retrieved from nci s listing of clinical trials follow up tests may be needed some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working decisions about whether to continue change or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended the results of these tests can show if your child s condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred come back these tests are sometimes called follow up tests or check ups treatment options for retinoblastoma treatment of unilateral bilateral and cavitary retinoblastoma if it is likely that the eye can be saved treatment may include the following systemic chemotherapy or ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy with or without intravitreal chemotherapy to shrink the tumor this may be followed by one or more of the following cryotherapy thermotherapy plaque radiotherapy external beam radiation therapy for bilateral intraocular retinoblastoma that does not respond to other treatments a clinical trial of ophthalmic artery infusion for unilateral retinoblastoma that has spread to the vitreous humor if the tumor is large and it is not likely that the eye can be saved treatment may include the following surgery enucleation after surgery systemic chemotherapy may be given to lower the risk that the cancer will spread to other parts of the body when retinoblastoma is in both eyes the treatment for each eye may be different depending on the size of the tumor and whether it is likely that the eye can be saved the dose of systemic chemotherapy is usually based on the eye that has more cancer treatment for cavitary retinoblastoma a type of intraocular retinoblastoma may include the following systemic chemotherapy or ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with intraocular retinoblastoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website treatment of extraocular retinoblastoma treatment for extraocular retinoblastoma that has spread to the area around the eye may include the following systemic chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy systemic chemotherapy followed by surgery enucleation external beam radiation therapy and more chemotherapy may be given after surgery treatment for extraocular retinoblastoma that has spread to the brain may include the following systemic or intrathecal chemotherapy external beam radiation therapy to the brain and spinal cord chemotherapy followed by high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue it is not clear whether treatment with chemotherapy radiation therapy or high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue helps patients with extraocular retinoblastoma live longer for trilateral retinoblastoma treatment may include the following systemic chemotherapy followed by high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue systemic chemotherapy followed by surgery and external beam radiation therapy for retinoblastoma that has spread to other parts of the body but not the brain treatment may include the following chemotherapy followed by high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue and external beam radiation therapy check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with extraocular retinoblastoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website treatment of progressive or recurrent retinoblastoma treatment of progressive or recurrent intraocular retinoblastoma may include the following external beam radiation therapy or plaque radiotherapy cryotherapy thermotherapy systemic chemotherapy or ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy intravitreal chemotherapy surgery enucleation treatment of progressive or recurrent extraocular retinoblastoma may include the following systemic chemotherapy and external beam radiation therapy for retinoblastoma that comes back after surgery to remove the eye systemic chemotherapy followed by high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue and external beam radiation therapy a clinical trial of a new treatment check the list of nci supported cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with recurrent retinoblastoma for more specific results refine the search by using other search features such as the location of the trial the type of treatment or the name of the drug talk with your child s doctor about clinical trials that may be right for your child general information about clinical trials is available from the nci website
Keywords: chemotherapy, cancer, trial, retinoblastoma, radiation, clinical, therapy, eye, type, cell


