An Introduction to Combination Therapy
The utilization of more than one therapy to battle cancer has been the direct cause for the overall increase in survival rates we have seen in the past 2 decades. In the early 1970′s, the overall survival at 5 years for newly diagnosed cancer was 50%; in 1997 it was 70%. This dramatic improvement (which excludes skin cancer since it is the most common type of cancer and so readily curable in its early stages) is mostly attributable to today’s cancer doctors appreciating the benefit of combining our most effective treatments for aggressive disease. This appreciation arose from research oncologists conducting Clinical Trials where they examined the results of using one therapy (“Monotherapy”) as opposed to several therapies (“Combination Therapy”). These results were published in the Oncologic literature over the past 2 decades, and excitedly talked about at Oncologist’s conventions.
The main thrust of this recent research is to try to generalize the principles of Combination Therapy, where they have proven successful, to cancers that remain difficult or seemingly impossible to cure. This transcript will examine the fundamental reasons why cancer often responds to Combination Therapy, how that therapy has been used successfully for particular cancers in the past 2 decades, and what the Latest Effective Combination Therapy is for each major cancer today. We will also examine the side effects (“toxicity”) of aggressive Combination Therapy, showing that it may represent “overkill” for easily curable cancers, and thus is reserved for necessary situations. These situations are those where Monotherapy frequently fails, or has unacceptable side effects (such as mutilating surgery). Happily, today’s patients have more hope for survival than ever for many cancers, since Combination Therapy is becoming more accepted, more refined, more widely available and less toxic. Finally, we will see that some form of “Combination Therapy” is practicable for all cancer patients, both in helping treat a cancer, preventing future cancers, and enhancing overall quality of life.
Combination Treatment will commonly utilize all three modalities of Surgery, Radiation Therapy and Chemotherapy to annihilate tumor cells, as well as Alternative Therapy to boost immune function and overall quality of life for the patient. If the tumor is hormonally responsive, then Hormones can be used to shrink it or help prevent relapse. In the settings of Clinical Trials we are using Immunotherapy, Gene Therapy, and Bone Marrow Transplant as part of new Combination Therapy regimens.
This is just an excerpt from our Complete Cancer Treatment Transcript. Much more, including latest treatments, can be sent to you by email when you order the complete transcript at a nominal cost.
Hey, great post, really well written. You should blog more about this. I’ll certainly be subscribing.
Hey, great post, really well written. You should write more about this.
Wow. There are some really good ideas here. How do I get a transcript?
Cool post, just subscribed.