From the Research
Cancer treatment should prioritize a multidisciplinary approach, including surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies, to improve survival rates and quality of life, as evident from recent advances in cancer therapies 1. When considering cancer treatment, it's essential to weigh the benefits and risks of each approach. For instance, high-dose chemotherapy with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide may have an excellent initial therapeutic effect in advanced breast cancer, but it does not prolong duration of remission or overall survival beyond that of standard treatment, and is associated with significant toxicity 2. Some key points to consider in cancer treatment include:
- Early detection through regular screenings significantly improves survival rates
- Targeted therapies, such as trastuzumab (Herceptin) for certain breast cancers, can improve treatment outcomes
- Immunotherapies, like pembrolizumab (Keytruda), can help the immune system fight cancer
- Neoadjuvant docetaxel followed by adjuvant doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide can be an effective regimen for patients with stage III breast cancer 3
- Docetaxel and doxorubicin compared with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer can improve time to progression and overall response rate 4
- Cardiac effects of adjuvant doxorubicin and radiation therapy in breast cancer patients should be carefully monitored, as higher doses of adjuvant doxorubicin can increase the risk of cardiac events 5 In terms of specific treatment recommendations, the most recent and highest quality study suggests that new approaches and procedures for cancer treatment, such as stem cell therapy, targeted therapy, and ablation therapy, can provide promising efficacy and safety profiles 1. However, it's crucial to consider the individual patient's needs and circumstances when making treatment decisions.