The phrase “go big or go home” doesn’t apply to cancer care. As the ASTRO (American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology) wraps this week in San Fran, thousands of docs learned even more about the strange, wonderful, clever and challenging issues regarding cancer. An overall thread running through is how genetics of body and tumor, nano technology, neosomes and epigenetics play such major roles in managing cancer. It’s all about the tiny… microscopic and even nanoscopic.
What’s in it for you when cancer is such a big and overbearing factor in your life? The minutia are so meaningful. Even discovering how cancer outsmarts us makes us smarter. We find that even the oft used radiation for spinal mets, is improved with genomic profiling to see who responds. Adding systemic (through the body) treatment to local radiation for metastatic prostate is synergistic (EXTEND trial). Confirming that stereo radiation is comparable to surgery for some lung cancers. For those hobbling, low dose radiation for knee arthritis shows promise. (Just cancelled my planned knee replacement in a few weeks to try this). Simple genetic test tells us who benefits from hormone therapy for prostate cancer and another presentation, if lymph nodes need therapy or can be avoided.
Just a few examples of practical use in the clinic that is changing every month. This week, Charles asked if he could stop hormone therapy since it is causing such dramatic muscle weakness… a newly developed test could help him decide. As we head into Breast cancer awareness month, great strides in localized breast as opposed to whole breast treatments were discussed and Muriel who was “gifted with abundance” will benefit to avoid large fields of radiation damaging the breast.
In the center this week, I was delighted to see so many genetic tests leading therapy. Certainly a change from a year ago. So, friends, have faith that once again with powerful world wide knowledge, there is improvement coming your way. Discovering the cancer may start the new dynamic in your life but be assured, as you navigate this bumpy terrain, the ground is shifting and hope is here in abundance.