Category: WOMAN

Stem Cell Therapy: A New Horizon in Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. Despite advances in treatment, it remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Traditional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have improved survival rates, but they often come with significant side effects and may not be effective in all cases, particularly in advanced or metastatic stages of the disease. As the medical community continues to seek more effective and less invasive treatments, stem cell therapy is emerging as a promising frontier in the fight against breast cancer.

Understanding Breast Cancer: A Global Challenge

Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast tissue grow uncontrollably, forming a tumor that can invade surrounding tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The causes of breast cancer are multifactorial, involving genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Early detection through screening programs like mammography has significantly improved outcomes, but the need for more effective treatments remains critical, especially for patients with aggressive or resistant forms of the disease.

Traditional treatments, while often life-saving, can have significant drawbacks. Surgery can be disfiguring and may not completely eliminate the risk of recurrence. Chemotherapy and radiation, although effective at killing cancer cells, also damage healthy cells, leading to side effects like fatigue, hair loss, and compromised immune function. Moreover, some breast cancers do not respond well to these treatments, particularly triple-negative breast cancer, which lacks the hormone receptors targeted by many therapies.

This is where stem cell therapy comes into play—a novel approach that has the potential to revolutionize breast cancer treatment.

Stem Cell Therapy: A New Horizon in Breast Cancer Treatment

Stem cell therapy has garnered significant attention in recent years as a potential game-changer in cancer treatment. Unlike traditional therapies that target the symptoms or manifestations of the disease, stem cell therapy aims to address the underlying causes by regenerating damaged tissues, boosting the immune system, and even targeting cancer stem cells that are believed to drive tumor growth and recurrence.

1. Understanding Stem Cells:

  • Stem cells are unique in their ability to develop into different types of cells in the body. They have the potential to repair or replace damaged tissues and can be used to regenerate healthy tissue in areas affected by cancer.
  • There are two primary types of stem cells relevant to cancer therapy: embryonic stem cells, which can differentiate into any cell type, and adult stem cells, which are more limited but still hold significant therapeutic potential. In breast cancer, researchers are particularly interested in the role of cancer stem cells— a small subset of cells within tumors that are resistant to conventional treatments and are thought to be responsible for relapse and metastasis.

2. The Role of Stem Cells in Breast Cancer:

  • One of the most promising aspects of stem cell therapy in breast cancer is its potential to target cancer stem cells. These cells are thought to be the root cause of tumor growth and metastasis, and they often evade traditional therapies, leading to recurrence. By specifically targeting and eliminating these cells, stem cell therapy could significantly reduce the risk of relapse and improve long-term outcomes.
  • Additionally, stem cell therapy can be used to regenerate healthy tissue damaged by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. For example, adipose-derived stem cells (from fat tissue) are being explored for their ability to repair tissue damage after a mastectomy or lumpectomy, improving cosmetic outcomes and reducing the need for additional surgeries.

3. Current Research and Clinical Trials:

  • While stem cell therapy for breast cancer is still in its early stages, there have been promising developments in both preclinical and clinical research. Clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate the safety and efficacy of various stem cell-based therapies for breast cancer.
  • One area of focus is the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which have shown potential in targeting breast cancer cells and enhancing the effects of chemotherapy. These stem cells can be engineered to deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to tumors, increasing the precision and effectiveness of treatment while minimizing side effects.
  • Another exciting avenue is the use of stem cells in combination with immunotherapy. By enhancing the body’s immune response to cancer, stem cells could help to overcome the immune evasion tactics used by tumors, making immunotherapy more effective.

4. Challenges and Future Directions:

  • Despite the promise of stem cell therapy, there are still significant challenges to overcome. Ensuring the safety of these therapies is paramount, as there is a risk that stem cells could promote tumor growth if not properly controlled. Moreover, the complex nature of cancer stem cells means that therapies must be precisely targeted to avoid unintended consequences.
  • The future of stem cell therapy in breast cancer will likely involve a combination of approaches, integrating stem cells with existing treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. As our understanding of cancer biology continues to grow, so too will the potential of stem cell therapy to provide more effective and less toxic treatment options for breast cancer patients.

    Conclusion: A Promising Future Ahead

    The fight against breast cancer is far from over, but the advent of stem cell therapy offers a new ray of hope. As research continues to advance, this innovative approach could become a cornerstone of breast cancer treatment, offering patients more effective, personalized, and less invasive options. While challenges remain, the potential of stem cell therapy to transform breast cancer care is undeniable, and the ongoing research in this field is something that the medical community and patients alike should watch closely.

    As we move forward, it is essential to continue supporting research and clinical trials that explore the full potential of stem cell therapy in breast cancer. With continued innovation and collaboration, we may one day see a world where breast cancer is not only treatable but curable—thanks in part to the incredible power of stem cells.

    Find more : https://www.linkedin.com/company/medipocketusa/posts/?feedView=all

Depression Is Often Overlooked in Cancer Patients

When Carly Flumer was a teenager, she was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. She saw a psychiatrist and a therapist regularly, and got medication and counseling. She managed her mental health well for over a decade. But in January 2017, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes by the time it was diagnosed.

That’s when things got complicated again.

Flumer, then 27, underwent surgery to remove her thyroid. She also received intensive radiation. To all observers, she got a clean bill of health — at least with regard to her cancer. But, she says, her mental health had suffered.

“People absolutely do not understand the panic a cancer diagnosis can cause,” Flumer says. “My depression and anxiety got worse when I got diagnosed. I also have had more suicidal thoughts because of the cancer,” she says. “The side effects of treatment are real. So is the stress of waiting to see if the cancer comes back again.”

Women Less Satisfied With Cancer Care

WHEN STEPHANIE RIVERA’S DOCTOR DISCOVERED THYROID NODULES during a routine exam in 2019, she began getting yearly thyroid ultrasound monitoring. She was told that 95% of the time these nodules are benign, but that she should watch for symptoms. “My doctor said if anything changes—if my voice changes or if I have trouble swallowing—I should come in sooner than my annual check-up,” says Rivera, 54, CEO of the Lazarex Cancer Foundation, which focuses on breaking barriers to health care for marginalized communities.

In April 2022, when Rivera began to experience unusual hoarseness five months before her scheduled annual thyroid ultrasound, she called her doctor as directed. But instead of getting an expedited appointment, “I was told, ‘Everything is fine. Just come back in August when you’re supposed to,’” Rivera says. When her hoarseness continued, Rivera called her doctor’s office again, and the medical staff relayed the same message: “Just come back in August.”

After that August check-up, however, Rivera was diagnosed with thyroid cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. Rivera felt validated but remorseful. “Statistically, I wasn’t supposed to have thyroid cancer that has metastasized, but I knew my body. I should have called a third time and said, ‘This hoarseness is different. I need to come in now just to make sure everything is OK,’” she says.

Rivera is far from alone in having her cancer symptoms dismissed. According to a recent American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey involving 1,236 patients with cancer and survivors who have been diagnosed or treated within the past seven years, women were twice as likely as men (6% vs. 3%) to have reported symptoms five or more times before getting a diagnosis. For patients diagnosed after experiencing symptoms (as opposed to those diagnosed after screening), women were less likely than men to report that their symptoms were taken very seriously (31% vs. 21%) or taken seriously “at all” (8% vs. 1%).

“These small survey numbers echo a bigger trend women may be experiencing throughout their cancer journey: that physicians are not listening to them,” says Sarah Long, ACS CAN project manager for survey administration and analysis. “The fact that women, in particular, were going to physicians repeatedly and saying repeatedly, ‘I have these symptoms,’ and those symptoms were not taken seriously is an issue.”

Advertisement

Having initial cancer symptoms dismissed may especially be a problem for younger, healthy-looking women who don’t fit the profile of what doctors believe to be a typical cancer patient, Long says. According to ACS CAN survey respondents, physicians are apt to chalk up younger patients’ symptoms, such as feeling tired, to having a stressful job or a too-busy life, when, in fact, after pushing for follow-up appointments and additional testing, many of these women are eventually diagnosed with cancer.

“Women are having to say, ‘No, this isn’t normal for me’ over and over again,” says Kirsten Sloan, managing director of public policy at ACS CAN. “What we’re concerned about are those women who don’t say it over again, who just accept what their doctor says, rather than pushing for more testing. If it is cancer, they later find out it could have been diagnosed and treated sooner, with potentially a more favorable prognosis.”

Who is to blame? “It’s not the fault of the doctor. It’s the high-pressure system doctors find themselves in. The models of care are not as patient centered as they need to be,” Sloan says. “If you’ve only got a 15-minute visit, you don’t have much time to figure out which symptoms don’t make sense for the patient’s life.”

If You Feel Something, Say Something Again and Again

Still, there is no time to wait for the system to change, if it ever does. “As health care consumers, we need to educate ourselves about the symptoms to look for, make sure we’re doing our routine screenings so things are caught early, and be really good advocates for ourselves,” says Sloan. “We also need to find a doctor who listens in the way we need to be listened to.”

Advertisement

Rivera, who has worked directly with doctors on various levels at major health care networks for more than 30 years, has learned a lot about herself from her experience being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. “If this can happen to me, it can happen to anyone,” she says. “I trusted my doctor. And, apparently, I trusted him very much. What I didn’t trust was myself enough to say: ‘I know my body, and something is different. I need to be seen now for peace of mind.’”

Rivera says pushing back is not in her comfort zone. Insisting on being heard by your doctor or your clinical care team can feel like talking back to the teacher or your boss. Still, when something doesn’t feel right, your life can depend on it. “The lesson I learned is that my voice about my body is a top priority,” Rivera says.

Women Less Satisfied With Cancer Care

World Health Organization releases new road map for breast cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new road map on breast cancer, with a target of saving 2.5 millions lives from the disease by 2040.

Currently, there are more than 2.3 million cases of breast cancer that occur each year, making it the most common cancer among adults.

However, survival from breast cancer is widely inequitable between and within countries, WHO reports, with nearly 80% of deaths from breast and cervical cancer occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

“Countries with weaker health systems are least able to manage the increasing burden of breast cancer,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO.

“It places a tremendous strain on individuals, families, communities, health systems and economies, so it must be a priority for ministries of health and governments everywhere,” he added.

WHO’s new global breast cancer framework recommends countries implement ‘three pillars of health promotion’ for early detection, timely diagnosis and comprehensive management of breast cancer to reach the targets.

This includes investing in breast cancer early-detection programmes so that at least 60% of the patients are diagnosed and treated at an early stage in their disease.

The other pillars include diagnosing breast cancer within 60 days of initial presentation and ensuring treatment starts within three months of first presentation, as well as ensuring at least 80% of patients complete their recommended treatment.

Dr Bente Mikkelsen, WHO director for noncommunicable disease, said: “Countries need to ensure that this framework engages and integrates into primary healthcare. This effort would not only support health promotion, but also empower women to seek and receive health care throughout the life cycle.”

“With effective and sustainable primary healthcare, we can really see a pathway to universal health coverage.”

The new framework which, according to WHO, could prevent millions of otherwise avoidable cancer deaths in women, follows the World Health Assembly passing a resolution in 2017 pushing for the same actions for control.

Since 2018, WHO has developed integrated initiatives in women’s and children’s cancers, also calling for the elimination of cervical cancer and a doubling of childhood cancer survival rates.

Taken together, experts say these initiatives can ‘revert the generational harm’ from cancers and save more than a million lives in the next ten years.

Πηγή: pmlive.com