Radiotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 1 - Introduction

PART II

Chapter 1

Introduction

Radiotherapy is also referred to as radiation therapy.  Radiotherapy deals with the treatment of cancer and it should not be confused with radiology, which deals with the study and application of radiation as a diagnostic tool.

Radiotherapy is a method of treating cancer patients by using ionizing radiation, which consists of either subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that are energetic enough to knock off electrons from atoms or molecules to ionize them. Ionizing radiation comes from two sources shown below:

(1) Radiation is emitted by radioactive substances including cobalt, cesium, radium, uranium, radon, and plutonium;

(2) Radiation is produced by medical devices such as an x-ray machine.

Examples of ionizing particles include a particles, b particles (electrons), protons, and neutrons; examples of electromagnetic waves include x-ray, gamma ray, and ultraviolet (UV).

      Radiotherapy can be used to treat almost every type of solid tumor locally, including cancers of the breast, brain, lung, liver, cervix, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, and uterus. It can also be used to treat leukemia (cancer of blood-forming cells) and lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system, which is an important part of the immune system). In some cases, patients may receive a total body irradiation (TBI) for certain cancer, such as acute leukemia, as a pivotal part of bone marrow transplantation.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2020

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen. 

Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 2 - Kinase Modulators (cont'd)

E.1. Imatinib mesylate (sold as Gleevec® by Novartis)

Fig. 1.12

Imatinib (Fig. 1.12) was first approved by the FDA in 2001 and sold as Gleevec^®. It works by specifically targeting, and turning off constitutively active tyrosine kinases (Bcr-abl) which help cancer cells grow and multiply. Bcr-abl kinase is a hybrid product of a chimeric Bcr-abl oncogene caused by translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. The tyrosine kinases cause several cancers including Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) and gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Gleevac comes in tablet form. When given by oral administration, the active ingredient, imatinib, is rapidly absorbed.

Potential side effects of Gleevec include fluid retention, rash, nausea & vomiting, muscle cramps, and diarrhea. 

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2019

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen. 

Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects: Chapter 2 - Alkylating Agents (Cont'd)

A.3. Nitrosoureas

Nitrosoureas (Fig. 1.3) are another group of alkylating agents. Because of their lipid solubility, they form the basis for brain tumor treatment as they are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. Nitrosoureas can be used alone or used  in a newer technological product, Gliadel wafer. 

                                                                Fig. 1.3   Examples of nitrosoureas

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2018

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen. 

What Can One Do to Reduce the Chances of Getting Cancer - Follow Nature's Rules (11)

Reduce the Consumption of Charcoal-Broiled Meat

Certain chemical are formed when meat (pork, beef, poultry or fish) is cooked over an open flame at high temperature.  These chemicals include heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).  HCAs and PAHs have been found to cause changes in DNA and may increase the risks of cancer.  It has been reported that exposure to HCAs and PAHs can cause cancer in animal studies.  When rodents were fed a diet containing HCAs, the animals developed different types of tumors in breast, colon, liver, skin, lung, and prostate.  It is therefore a good idea to reduce the consumption of charcoal-broiled meat.  

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2017

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I wrote, "IS CANCER IN US", published recently.

Natural Products for Cancer Prevention/Management (12)

Berberine

Berberine (Huang Lian Su), is found in a number of plants such as Chinese goldthread or goldenseal, and Amur cork tree.  Berberine is an important ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine and has been used in a number of indications, including bacterial & viral infections, diabetes, inflammation, liver injury, elevated blood cholesterol, congestive heart failure, and more notably, cancer.

Does berberine have any effects in cancer?  Cell and animal studies have indicated that it could have certain activities against a number of tumors including liver cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and melanoma.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2016

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to be published in about two months.