Brain Cancer Treatments - Research Paper Example

?Brain Cancer Treatments Brain cancer is one of the fastest developing diseases in the world with quite a significant number of people being affectedby it or knows somebody who has it. This disease takes place when malignant cells develop in the brain forming tumors, and when they develop, they affect some vital body functions that the brain controls. Among the functions that are affected are muscle control, memories, and any other body functions that are controlled by the brain. Two types of tumors are formed in the brain and they determine whether an individual has brain cancer or not. The first of these are benign tumors, which are formed by noncancerous cells, meaning that the individual who has them does not have brain cancer. The second type of tumors is malignant tumors, which are formed by cancerous cells, and if these are found in the brain, then the individual has cancer. While this disease is not a frequent one among the human population, it affects several thousand people every year, and of those affected, about half of them die. This is quite a high number and more research has to be done to ensure that ways are found to combat this disease effectively and reduce the mortality rates. It has been found that when one develops this disease, it comes to affect everyone who is close to this individual. Not only is it a trying time for such people and their families, it is also a time of uncertainty because of the fact that the most effective choice of treatment for the individual is difficult to make. When one is diagnosed with this disease, it is always best for the individual to talk openly about their concerns with their families, as well as their doctors (Amy, 2005). This will ensure that these people are made aware of the patient’s concerns and are able to know how to help this individual live his or her life as normally as possible. Since most of those individuals who are diagnosed with brain cancer tend to suffer from anger, depression and anxiety; therefore, it is advisable for them to talk about these feelings so that they can be better able to cope with their situation. While some patients find comfort with their own families and friends, there are others who prefer being in the company of those people who are going through the same problems. This makes support groups extremely beneficial for these individuals because they come to learn that they are not the only ones who are undergoing this situation. Moreover, such groups help individuals to learn from each other how to cope with this disease as they do their best to live their lives as normally as possible. In case of support groups, it is essential for the doctors treating the patients to ensure that these patients are connected to others with the same condition, so that they can all share their experiences and help each other get through changes in their lives as they undergo treatment. Doctors, family and support groups have the responsibility of helping patients undergo treatment because some of treatments for brain cancer can be immensely trying for the patients ("Support Groups Help" 1994). The treatment for brain cancer is a highly individual thing because the doctors conducting such treatment have to consider the needs of their patient before deciding on how best to tackle the disease. The plan for treatment is normally created by the physician who takes a wide range of factors into consideration before deciding what the best scheme is for their patient. Among the factors that a doctor would consider before making a treatment plan are the following: they type of cancer that is to be treated, where this cancerous tissue is located in the brain, the size of the tumor formed by the cancerous tissue, the age of the patient, and lastly, the overall health status of their patient. While it is the responsibility of the doctor to make a treatment plan for their patients, the patients also have a say in it. The doctor has to put into consideration the wishes of their patients concerning the treatment they would like to have. Therefore, it is essential for doctors and their patients to discuss the treatment options open for the latter so that a clear plan of treatment can be created. Among the most prominent methods of healing for brain cancer available are surgical treatment, radiation therapy and chemotherapy ("Brain Cancer; Swedish in Seattle” 2008). These can be used to treat all the main types of brain cancer and, in fact, most of treatment plans formulated by specialists tend to rely on a combination of these three treatments to work. When surgical therapy is applied, it is done with the intention of cutting away all the tumors that have formed in the brain tissue with the intention of removing all the malignant cells within it. On the other hand, radiotherapy is applied when high-energy radiation is used to destroy the tumor cells in the brain. When this radiation is focused on the tumor, it is done to ensure that the ability of these malignant cells to continue working and to multiply is terminated. In relation to radiation therapy, there is radio surgery whose main purpose is to convey an elevated dose of targeted radiation using gamma ray beams that come together in areas of the brain where the tumor has been found. This method is normally used when there is a need to protect the healthy brain cells from harm caused by radiation. There are various types of equipment, which are used in radio surgery and these tend to have specific functions. Among these is the gamma knife that uses focused gamma rays, the linear accelerator that makes use of photons, and the heavy charged particle radio surgery, which makes use of a proton beam (Espinoza and Breu, 2003). The use of chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant cells in the brain is done with the intention of destroying tumor cells. These cells are destroyed using drugs that have been designed to terminate certain types of cancer cells. Wide varieties of drugs are used for destroying cancer cells, and each has been designed to destroy a certain kind of brain cancer cells. When selecting the drug to use it is usually done with the condition of the patient being put in mind, hence this treatment in highly individualized. Several ways through which the drugs used for chemotherapy can be administered, and the first of these is through a reservoir that has been surgically placed in the brain. Other ways include administering the drug intravenously or with polymers that are that are chemically impregnated and are biodegradable. All the above-mentioned methods of treating brain cancer are designed to ensure that the healthy cells of the brain are not degraded. When a specialist and the patient are making a treatment plan, they should also consider other possible treatments for the condition. Among these are hyperthermia, which includes treatments using heat, immunotherapy, which include the use of immune cells that are directed to kill certain brain cancer cells, and the use of steroids whose purpose is to reduce inflammation in the brain (Maugh and Neuman, 2008). There are times when the only option left for specialists is to design a treatment plan which include the trial of new drugs or treatment methods for their patients. Such options tend to come about especially in situations where other treatments have failed to work. While these new treatments are designed to help the patients involved, they also help in the assessment of how different drugs work on them. This helps in future research that comes up with even better treatments for brain cancer (Vecchione, 2008). However, when it comes to choosing the treatment plan to combat brain cancer the best way of approaching it is by considering the wishes of the patient as well as the recommendations made by specialists in cancer. In conclusion, brain cancer is a disease that is spreading all over the world, and it can affect anyone no matter their age. Because of this, it is essential to ensure that enough funding is provided so that research in the treatment of brain cancer can be advanced. In almost every instance that one develops this disease, it comes to affect everyone who is close to them, as it is not only a trying time for such people and their families, but also a time of uncertainty because of the fact that the most effective choice of treatment for the individual is difficult to make. Therefore, it is essential that the specialist involved in the treatment of the disease to provide the patient with all the treatment options available for them, after this, it is the duty of the specialist to advice the patient on what the best treatment options for them are available. When this has been presented, the patient and the doctor have to create a treatment plan that is best suited for the patient. References “Brain cancer; swedish in seattle unveils state-of-the-art brain tumor center combining advanced treatment with innovation in research”. (2008). Medical Letter on the CDC & FDA, 48. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211450172?accountid=1331 Espinoza, G., & Breu, G. (2003, Sep 01). Leonard turner has brain cancer. will a new treatment save him? People, 60, 139-140,142. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/204404025?accountid=1331 Amy, D. M. (2005, Mar 01). Parents face painful choice in treating childhood cancer; new brain-tumor protocol highlights growing tradeoff between survival, side effects. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398931125?accountid=1331 Maugh, Thomas H.,,II, & Neuman, J. (2008, Jun 03). The nation; kennedy is OK after surgery to remove tumor; doctors successfully cut out the malignant brain cancer. he will now undergo radiation and chemotherapy. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/422211494?accountid=1331 “Support groups help cancer patients, families cope”. (1994, May 08). The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/288650388?accountid=1331 Vecchione, A. (2008). Brain cancer. Drug Topics, 152(11), HSE1-HSE2,HSE5-HSE6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205038745?accountid=1331 Read More