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Surgical excision is often the treatment of choice particularly
where the cancer remains local to the site of origin and
can be removed with a healthy margin around the cancer cells.
However, there is little value to the patient with a big
operation if the cancer has already spread around the body.
Under these circumstances medication or chemotherapy may
be more appropriate. This option is also only suitable for
cancers which are responsive to this type of medication.
In some cancers chemotherapy has little benefit and is not
considered as an option.
Each individual patient is considered with regard to their
own specific problem and circumstances. What is fine in
one patient may not be at all suitable in another.
"Harvey" is an excellent example of a patient
who has responded extremely well to chemotherapy.
Drug dosages were chosen to minimise toxic effects on other
parts of the body. Chemotherapy kills all rapidly dividing
cells and doesn't discrminate between those healthy rapidly
dividing cells as are found in the bone marrow and digestive
tract, and the cancer cells. It is simply because cancer
cells generally divide more rapidly that they are killed
more readily.
It is clear from this that all current cancer research
looks towards treatments which will identify or target cancer
cells and then eliminate them without causing adverse effects
on normal body mechanisms.
Nine months on from his original diagnosis of gastric lymphoma
(stomach cancer) Harvey is thriving and enjoying life to
the full.
Next: A
Vets "Privileged Option"
Terry
Dunne BVMS, Cert SAO, MRCVS
Visit
Harveys original interesting case page from earlier in 2007.
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