Other Oncology

Granular cell tumors – pro

Granular cell tumor develops on any skin or mucosal surface, but occurs most commonly on the tongue( 40%). Other names for this rare caner are:  Abrikossoff's tumor, Granular cell myoblastoma, Granular cell nerve sheath tumor, and Granular cell schwannoma. It is now believed to be a neopalstic process. It is called granular because of the accumulation of secondary lysosomes in the cytoplasm. The literature is based on case reports and series and presents

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Recurrent vulvar cancer – chemotherapy and/ radiation – pro

Vulvar cancer is rare and not much is known how to manage it after recurrence.  Radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy can produce prolonged disease-free periods in some patients with a limited local recurrence. Especially if the recurrence is two or more years afer the initial treatment, chemoradiation and surgery can produce  a 5-year survival rate of greater than 50%. Much of this literature is two or more decades old. NHS says: "Cytotoxic

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Small bowel cancer – pro

Lay Summary: Chemotherapy for small bowel adenocarcinoma and sarcoma is reviewed. Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) is a very rare entity accounting for one-fourth of the small intestine neoplasms. Usually accompanied by nonspecific symptoms occurring late in the course of the disease, they are associated with a dismal prognosis. It appears that SBA shares several genetic characteristics with large bowel tumors, but also has unique features. The similarity

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Merkel Cell carcinoma – pro

Lay Summary: Merkel Cell Carcinoma is a rare skin cancer; treatment options are discussed.   Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive yet uncommon neoplasm that often arises on the head and neck. Because of the rarity of the tumor, however, diagnosis and treatment have previously been based more on anecdotal data than on scientific data. Because of the high degree of local recurrence and early lymph node and distant metastases in patients with

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Giant Cell Granuloma – pro

There are no prospective or comparative trials supporting interferon for this rare condition. The peripheral giant cell granuloma has an unknown etiology, with some dispute as to whether this lesion represents a reactive or neoplastic process. It is often a dental disease. Most authorities believe peripheral giant cell granuloma is a reactive lesion. Surgical management of the CGCG with aggressive curettage is regarded as the treatment of choice.

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BMT for CGL – pro

This is a storage disease, one of a relatively rare group of disorders in which there is a deficiency of a particular enzyme necessary for normal metabolic processes within the body. The result is an accumulation in cells ("storage") of whatever product the enzyme normally acts upon. Typically, animals with a storage disease are normal at birth, fail to grow as rapidly as littermates, and at a consistent age, develop progressive signs of a disorder

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Temodar for melanoma – pro

Temozolomide is a cytotoxic prodrug that, when hydrolyzed, inhibits DNA replication by methylating nucleotide bases. In preclinical testing, temozolomide has shown a broad spectrum of antineoplastic activity. In a randomized phase III trial involving patients with advanced malignant melanoma, temozolomide produced an objective response rate of 13.5% compared with 12.1% in the dacarbazine group. Temozolomide produced a modest increase in PFS time

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Dental prophylaxis for HNC radiotherapy – pro

Severe problems in the mouth can occur after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. A substantial number  of patientswill suffer clinically significant short and long-term oral adverse effects. Most patients being treated for head and neck cancer (and many patients with other cancers) also experience oral complications from chemotherapy. The most significant risk factors of oral complications of cancer therapy are oral or dental disease that

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Chemo for nasopharyngeal carcinoma – pro

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is endemic in Southeast Asia and China with increased incidences in the Mediterranean countries. It is relatively rare in the United States and Continental Europe. It differs markedly from other head and neck cancers based on its distinct histology, its association with EBV, its marked responsiveness to chemotherapy, and its rapid growth with early dissemination. Presentation is commonly a locally advanced stage with nodal

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Oxaliplatin for melanoma – pro

Oxaliplatin is a platinum derivative without nephrotoxicity with in vitro activity against human melanoma cell lines. A Phase I and II trials suggested activity in melanoma, although a combination of oxaliplatin, docetaxel, and GM-CSF had limited clinical activity in previously treated patients with advanced melanoma. A non-nephrotoxic platinum compound active in melanoma is of interest in the development of combination chemo-or chemoimmunotherapy.

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