More and more options replace chemotherapy to treat cancer

The most traditional and known cancer treatment paradigm is essentially badociated with surgeries and chemotherapy and lightning sessions, although in recent years the oncological and oncohaematological approach has more tools for treat different types of tumors. malignant diseases of the blood.

"Chemotherapy is valid, it is used in many cases because it helps to destroy cancer cells, but we see a tendency to oral treatments, with better safety profiles and no devastating impact on the patient's body. "Says Raimundo Bezares. , Head of Hematology of Acute General Hospital of the City of Buenos Aires & # 39; Dr. Teodoro Álvarez & # 39;

Chemotherapy treatment can be very helpful, but it strikes the body because it sweeps its defense system and weakens it.

This exposes the patient to high risks of infection, which is a major concern for a few days while the treatment lasts.

Any germ or bacteria can do a lot of damage and put your life in danger.

This type of treatment was used because experts believe that the risk-benefit equation is favorable, but in any case it is a very good news that science is migrating to less toxic patterns.

The specialist stated that "depending on the type of cancer and treatment received by the patient, chemotherapy can sometimes be ambulatory and brief" and that "in other cases, it requires hospitalization and extended periods of time. ".

"This, on the one hand, dramatically increases the costs to the health system, but also the immunocompromised patient has to wander in hospitals and it's a high risk because it can be infected with bacteria such as those that cause pneumonia, for example, and these are days when the body does not have enough tools to defend itself, "explained Bezares

.In a dialogue with NA, the specialist pointed out that the future of treatments "is very promising" from the use of targeted therapies, which block certain genetic alterations that develop the disease.

"Medicine is evolving into personalized schemas and with less toxicity because it has allowed over time to better understand the development and evolution of these diseases in the body, "he added.

Leukemia, an example of revolution treatments [19659012] Leukemia and other diseases Oncohaematological conditions represent approximately 15,000 new cases per year in our country, which equates to approximately one new diagnosis every 30 minutes.

This is a clear example of how treatments have evolved in recent times.

In some cases, such as chronic myeloid leukemia, chemotherapy is no longer indicated, but the first-line treatment is based on tablets.

In other types of leukemia, chemotherapy is indicated initially and then followed by targeted therapies.

Chronic lymphoid leukemia has already begun to be treated free by genotoxic treatments, even as a first-line treatment.

Oral medications, usually do not trigger images of generalized weakness, hair loss, severe gastrointestinal symptoms, suppression of the immune system and general deterioration that chemotherapy causes.

"For patients, the impact of the disease on their quality of life is usually one of the factors that most affect their ability to cope well with the stage where they live with this type of disease, "said Fernando Piotrowski, executive director of ALMA.

In this sense, Bezares added that "directed therapies often allow the person to continue his work, leading a virtually normal life, without radically altering his routine, performing controls, clearly, but this is not the case. not limited as it is the case with chemotherapies. "

" For many years, chemo was the only weapon we had, and the patients are grateful because it was very helpful, but we are excited about this new stage where new drugs without chemotherapy appear constantly, each time with more powerful treatments and shorter, but not more toxic, which increases the survival and quality of life of patients, "says Piotrowski.

In some cases, some chronic disease treatments are indicated by limited time periods and in patients who achieve deep remissions, discontinuation of the drug is evaluated.

It is irrelevant to talk about a cure, but it is relevant to have better control of the disease.

Different diseases nowadays have different therapeutic approaches and patients continue to rely on their doctor as an absolute reference that will indicate what is most convenient for their condition.

Whatever the case may be, whenever they come to the office more informed and anxious to agree with the professional decisions to be made.

"We consider it very positive that patients are more autonomous than they were a few years ago and today, they accompany their families in the open discussions we organize and learn to talk to their doctor later, which allows them to take charge of their illness. In addition, participation in our meetings gives them the opportunity to exchange their experiences with other patients and learn how those who have experienced the same situations learned from them. and have gone from the front, "Piotrowski said. ALMA holds free and open meetings for patients and family members with different types of leukemia, such as chronic myeloid leukemia or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

These are opportunities for patients and their environment to listen to experts who explain what these diseases are, and psychologists who provide tools to get good emotional support are also involved.

For more information, follow the Argentinian Association of Myeloid Leukemia on Facebook or write to [email protected]. (NA)