Thursday, May 22, 2014

Emerging Issues In Bladder Cancer Research

By Minnie Whitley


Doctors are putting in a lot of effort in fighting lethal diseases. They have carried out intensive bladder cancer research in attempts to eliminate it. They are concerned with the genetic changes that bladder cells undergo, using urinal tests in detecting cancer, complete elimination of bladder cancer, and new ways of treating it.

A keen study of genetic changes in cells has made it possible for doctors to know the prognosis of victims of cancer. In addition, it has made it possible for them to deal with infected cells that are always reappearing even after treatment.

Specialists in this field are also involved in analyzing urine in attempts to diagnose anomalies in the cells. They look out for telomerase; a substance usually found in large quantities in cancer patients. The urine test also helps identify cells that develop again and again.

Victims of this type of cancer are always faced with the danger of developing cancer cells recurrently. Doctors are therefore, trying to find out methods of absolutely finishing the abnormal cells. They are encouraging; eating certain diets, chemotherapy and some specific medicines. They have also come up with vaccines that can prevent growth of cancer cells.

New Surgical methods are also being applied by surgeons in removing unwanted cells. A group of surgeons use artificial hands in carrying out surgery. Unlike in normal surgery, surgeons make small incisions on patients. They then use these incisions in carrying out operations. Since patients have small wounds on their bodies, they take less time to heal as compared to normal surgery. This method is still being tried out on bladder cancer, but has been very successful in other types of the same disease. Doctors have also come up with another type of drug that can be put in the affected area to reduce the probability of recurrence.

While in the early stages, this disease can be treated using photodynamic therapy. This therapy involves introducing some drugs into the affected cells. The drug is then given enough time before laser light is concentrated on these cells. Light makes this drug toxic to the unwanted cells. Photodynamic therapy kills abnormal cells but does not cause a lot of harm to healthy cells. This method is not perfect since the drug does not penetrate into the bladder. The drug only reaches cells that are on the surface. Worse still, prolonged exposure to light may cause serious burns to the region under treatment.

Targeted therapy is also being used to a large extend in the treatment. It involves drugs that only target changes involved in bladder cells making them cancerous. Some drugs target blood vessels that facilitate the abnormal growth of cells.

Gene therapy entails changing the genetic makeup of cells to prevent them from being infected. The infection is eliminated when genes that lead to abnormal development of cells are removed from the cells. This therapy has not been approved yet; doctors are still working on it.




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