Understanding Stem Cell Therapy

 Oncology is the medical branch focusing on cancer diagnosis and treatment. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US. By 2022, the illness will average 1700 deaths daily, with almost two million new cases. However, these statistics reveal a 32 percent decline in death rates from 1991 to 2019. Timely diagnosis and a decline in smoking have driven down these numbers, but cancer remains a significant population health risk.

Cancer refers to the uncontrollable growth and spread of body cells. Each cell grows, matures, reproduces, and dies in a specific cycle. Sometimes, abnormal or damaged cells break down this cycle by growing and reproducing against expectations. Here, they form cancerous tumors that can spread and invade neighboring tissues.

Oncologists, or cancer specialists, are responsible for diagnosing, staging, and grading medical cases. Moreover, these specialists explain treatment options to their patients, deliver compassionate care, and help manage cancer symptoms. Their contributions enhance the effectiveness of cancer care teams in preparing patient treatment plans. These multidisciplinary teams comprise pathologists, nurses, radiologists, and social workers.

There are three primary fields of oncology, depending on the treatment they provide. These include medical, radiation, and surgical oncology. Medical oncology utilizes medication to treat cancer. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are common medical cancer treatments.

Chemotherapy utilizes powerful medication to interrupt the cycle of damaged or abnormal cells. Using the bloodstream,this treatment option systematically mitigates these cells' growth, division, and reproduction. This means the powerful chemicals access healthy and unhealthy cells, resulting in side effects such as hair loss, nausea, fatigue, fever, and pain. Oncologists recommend standard, traditional, and cytotoxic chemotherapies to kill cancerous cells.

Targeted therapy utilizes medication to focus on cancerous cells' genes and proteins. These cells experience genetic mutation at the onset of cancer which alters their protein compounds. The genes instruct cells on how to produce protein to remain functional. The genetic mutation leads to rapid cell growth and tumor development. By focusing on the changes, targeted therapy can kill cancer cells, mitigate them from living longer than usual, or turn off their growth and division capacities.

Immunotherapy focuses on boosting patients' immune systems to locate and destroy cancer cells. Organs, cells, and proteins make up the body's immune system. Cancer can form around these defenses and inhibit their ability to mitigate the growth and spread of abnormal cells. Immunotherapy utilizes substances made by the body or in medical laboratories to slow down or prevent the spread of these cells. Non-specific immunotherapies, T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines are popular types of immunotherapies in oncology.

Radiation oncology is another cancer treatment that utilizes radiation therapy to destroy abnormal or damaged cells. This plan uses high-energy x-rays or beams to destroy cancerous cells' DNA. Unlike chemotherapy, the treatment interrupts the cell cycle and focuses on local areas. This means that only cells in the areas of focus are destroyed. Radiotherapy may also affect surrounding tissues, but they heal after treatment stops.

The side effects of radiation oncology depend on the focus areas and the exposure length. Hair loss, fatigue, and skin irritation in treatment areas are common in this procedure, but they are controllable and treatable. External and internal radiotherapies are popular options for oncologists and their patients.

Besides, surgical oncology uses surgeries to remove tumors and tissues around affected areas. This procedure also prevents cancer in vulnerable body parts, verifies whether the patient has cancer through lab analyses, evaluates the severity of the illness, and eases the symptoms. Nausea, pain, constipation, and vomiting are the common side effects patients encounter after surgery. Surgical oncology treats cancer in various body parts, including the breast, throat, skin, lungs, pancreas, uterus, and bones.