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A cancer treatment currently under development promises fewer side effects and less pain for cancer patients. Developed by a team led by Dr. Jay Lazaro of the Institute of Biology, University of the Philippines-Diliman, the treatment uses immunoliposomes as carriers of drugs in cancer therapy. It is currently being tested on mice and part of a project funded by the Department of Science and Technology.

"This kind of breakthrough technology is part of DOST’s drug discovery program for 2012,” says DOST Secretary Mario Montejo. “It lists high in the priorities under the Department's antibody molecular oncology R&D in our search for anti-cancer treatments suitable to Filipinos.”

The more common method of treating cancer, chemotherapy, damages normal cells, so patients experience unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, fatigue, weight loss, changes in taste and smell, loss of appetite and hair loss. Therefore, a treatment that affects fewer normal cells will result in fewer side effects.

The immunoliposome method coats cancer-treating drugs with liposomes, or microscopic artificial sacs that can be filled with drugs.

The technology is more specific as it targets only cancer cells. Since there are fewer non-cancer cells affected by the treatment, it results in less toxicity and the patient feels less pain.

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Earlier this month, the American Cancer Society (ACS) released its annual Cancer Facts & Figures. The 2012 report includes some encouraging facts. Since 1990, the incidence of some common tumors including lung, colon, and prostate cancer has declined. Meanwhile, the rate of seven malignancies, like those of the lower mouth and throat linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), is increasing. The cause of this trend, which many assume is linked to people engaging in more oral sex, is not as straightforward as you might think.

Oropharyngeal cancers refer to tumors of the tonsils and rear tongue, back of the palate and posterior walls of the throat. Like their anatomical neighbors -- malignancies of the larynx, vocal cords, anterior and mid-tongue, other parts of the mouth and lips -- oropharyngeal cancers arise more often in people who drink and smoke heavily. These other head and neck cancers have waned in recent years, probably because North Americans are smoking fewer cigarettes and chewing less tobacco.

The ACS estimates there will be 13,500 new cases of oropharyngeal cancer in the U.S. this year. This includes both HPV positive and negative cases; nearly 11,000 men and over 2,500 women will be affected; some 2,300 will succumb to this condition. Between 1999 and 2008, the rate of HPV positive oropharyngeal cancers by rose 4.4 percent per year in white men and by 1.9 percent per year in white women. Changes among other racial and ethnic groups were not significant, according to the report. The biggest rise emerged in men between the ages of 55 and 64 years.

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The December 2011 NLE Results have not yet been released by the PRC, we encourage you to subscribed to our DEC 2011 QUICK RESULT to get updated!

Article copyright NurseReview.org - #1 source of information to update nurses all over the world. All rights reserved. No part of an article may be reproduced without the prior permission.

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The December 2011 NLE Results have not yet been released by the PRC, we encourage you to subscribed to our DEC 2011 QUICK RESULT to get updated!

Article copyright NurseReview.org - #1 source of information to update nurses all over the world. All rights reserved. No part of an article may be reproduced without the prior permission.

Share

The December 2011 NLE Results have not yet been released by the PRC, we encourage you to subscribed to our DEC 2011 QUICK RESULT to get updated!

Article copyright NurseReview.org - #1 source of information to update nurses all over the world. All rights reserved. No part of an article may be reproduced without the prior permission.