Other advances in cancer treatment
New treatments zero in on the vulnerabilities of cancer cells.
As scientists learn more about cancer,
they’re developing promising new
therapies that target specific types of
tumor cells and inhibit their growth.
On their own or in combination with
other conventional treatments, these
therapies can reduce the size of some
tumors and alleviate symptoms. Some
new therapies offer hope for people
with cancers that have been resistant
to more mainstream treatments.
The more we know
Every day cancer researchers find out
more about how certain tumors grow and how to stop them from growing.
For example, the discovery that
some tumor cells are vulnerable to
heat has led to the development of
hyperthermia and radiofrequency
ablation therapies.
New technologies also continue
to pave the way for safer and more
effective techniques of administering
conventional cancer treatments. Many
of these advances revolve around
methods of delivering chemotherapy
and radiation directly to tumors while
avoiding damage to healthy tissues
and organs.
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia treatments raise the
temperature of a tumor to 106° or
more — high enough to damage its cells.
Your doctor may heat the tumor externally
using high-frequency waves. It can
also be heated internally using implanted
wires, microwave antennae, or radiofrequency
electrodes. In a technique called
hyperthermic perfusion, the tumor tissues
or blood vessels are bathed with a warm
solution containing chemotherapy drugs.
Hyperthermia is most effective
when it’s used in combination with
chemotherapy and radiation, since heat
makes the cancer cells more sensitive to
these therapies.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
Radiofrequency ablation is another
treatment that manipulates the
vulnerability of cancer cells to heat.
Designed for the treatment of cancers
that cannot be removed surgically,
RFA uses a special catheter to deliver
electrical energy — similar to micro-waves — directly to the tumor. As the
temperature of the tumor cells rises
above 113°, the cell structures become
damaged, and they die almost immediately.
RFA can be a fast, effective, and
relatively low-risk alternative to more
standard treatments.
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)
Scientists have discovered certain non-toxic
chemicals that make tumor cells
vulnerable to light. These chemicals,
called photosensitizing agents, are
injected into your bloodstream and
become concentrated in the cancerous
cells. Then the doctor shines a special
light onto the tumor, destroying the
now light-sensitive cells. PDT has been
used successfully to treat many types
of skin cancer, esophageal cancer, and
some lung cancers.
Chemoembolization
Liver tumors — both primary and
metastatic — can be notoriously
difficult to treat with surgery.
Chemoembolization is a local
therapy that can reduce the size of
these cancers. By threading a catheter
through the main artery that feeds
the liver, the oncologist delivers a
powerful dose of chemotherapy
directly to the organ.
The doctor also uses the catheter
to administer substances called microspheres,
which temporarily block the
flow of blood to the tumor and trap
the chemotherapy inside the liver,
where it’s needed most. This can
also minimize the side effects of
the chemotherapy.
Restricting the blood supply
hinders the formation of blood vessels
that feed the tumor. This strategy,
known as anti-angiogenesis, starves
the tumor of the oxygen and nutrients
it needs to grow. Chemoembolization
can reduce symptoms and, in some
cases, improve the outlook for people
with liver cancer.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Certain cancers, especially brain tumors,
respond to CyberKnife® robotic
surgery and other types of stereotactic
radiosurgery that deliver high doses
of radiation to a targeted area. The
standard procedure uses a rigid metal
frame to immobilize the head during
surgery to ensure accuracy.
CyberKnife and tomotherapy
eliminate the need for this frame
by using advanced imaging and
robotics to target and deliver the
radiation. In addition to making
radiosurgery less invasive, stereotactic
techniques may deliver
radiation with more accuracy.
Intraoperative Radiation Therapy
With this technique, doctors administer
radiation directly to a tumor that’s
exposed during surgery. This allows
the tumor to receive a more concentrated
dose of radiation and limits
the damage to healthy tissue. It can be
effective on cancers that may not be
treatable by surgery alone, especially
tumors that surgeons can’t remove
completely because they’re attached
to vital healthy tissues or organs.