uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death.

caused by both external factors (such as chemicals, radiation and infectious organisms - including viruses) and internal factors (heredity, hormones, immune disorders, and genetic mutations)

Growing older

Sunlight Exposure

Tobacco Use

Excessive Alcohol Intake

Obesity

Poor Diet

Low Physical activity

....everything

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Change in bowel or bladder habits

A sore that does not heal

Unusual bleeding or discharge

Thickening or lump in breast or elsewhere

Indigestion or difficulty swallowing

Obvious change in wart or mole

Nagging cough or horseness

based on the tissue type as epithelial, connective, lymphoid or nerve. A sample of tissue may be taken for diagnosis along with X-rays, CT scans, MRIs and other diagnostic tools to evaluate the cancer's stage

recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health

about every 3 years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women 40 and over

Beginning at age 50, both men and women should follow a schedule that includes various combinations of: sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema or CT scan and a yearly fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test.

All women should begin cervical cancer screening about 3 years after they begin having vaginal intercourse, but no later than 21 years old.

screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every 2 years using the newer liquid-based Pap test. Women over 70 with normal results can stop testing.

Does screening for prostate cancer outweigh the harms of testing, diagnostic procedures and treatment?

What age should men receive information for prostate cancer screening?

Information should be provided to men 50 years and over so an informed decision can bem ade. If a family history or if an African-American man then screening should begin at an earlier age (45)

Technically, no. Patients who are in remission for 5 years may be considered "cured" but are really considered cancer free survivors

Primary treatment is surgery, followed by chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant, or induction therapy, may be used prior to the start of the primary treatment regiment to shrink the tumor initally (e.g. radiation)

given after the primary treatment in an attempt to eradicate residual disease (e.g., radiation, hormonal therapy)

Sometimes, surgery is not an option for initial treatment and the treatment regimen begins with chemotherapy. This is called primary induction chemotherapy

Chemotherapeutic regimens are usually designed for synergism. Drugs with different mechanisms of action that compliment each other should be chosen

Treatment goal is to maintain a high quality of life for the patient. Majority of adverse effects are due to damaging effects on cells that divide more rapidly than others, but are not cancerous.

This is why chemotherapy affects fast growing cells in the GI tract, hair follicles and bone marrow (blood cells).

Chemotherapy should be avoided during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Counsel both the male and female to avoid conceiving during treatment. Some of the medications can cause sterility long-term

Most chemotherapeutics are dosed using the Body Surface Area calculations. A commong method to calculate BSA is the Dubois and Dubois Equation. What is that equation?

The weight is usually actual, and sometimes adjusted if the patient is overweight. Use the actual weight unless instructed to use otherwise, and keep in mind that a patient >130% of IBW is generally adjusted.