Talking with the Doctor- Summer, 2003
The following questions were answered by Jack
Goldberg, MD. Dr. Goldberg is Chief of
the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Penn
Presbyterian. Every year since 1996, Dr. Goldberg
has been named to the list of Best
Doctors in America.
New Jersey Magazine and Philadelphia
Magazine have
named him to their Best Doctors list since
1994. He treats patients at Penn
Medicine at Cherry Hill.
Question: Are we winning the battle against
cancer?
Answer:
In a nutshell, the battle against cancer continues, but we are beginning to
see more victories, especially in certain types of leukemias and lymphomas.
Three main weapons have helped us progress in the fight against cancer: prevention,
early detection and targeted therapy.
For example, we know that smoking is a major
cause of lung cancer, and this knowledge has
empowered millions of people in this country
to stamp out their last cigarette and improve
their health dramatically. We also realize that
regular screenings, including mammography for
breast cancer and colonoscopy for colon cancer,
help to uncover cancers at their earliest stages.
The third tool that has aided the ongoing cancer
battle is targeted therapy. Using this progressive
new treatment, once a cancerous "target" in
the body is identified, a chemotherapy compound
is designed to specifically attack the cancerous
area without harming nearby tissue. Because it
exclusively strikes the diseased area of the
body, targeting reduces side effects, such as
hair loss and nausea.
Targeting is a powerful weapon in the fight
against cancer, but it is an evolving therapy,
and targets have not yet been developed for the
treatment of many cancers. Developing new targeting
strategies involves ongoing studies that involve
major cancer centers around the country.
So while we have not won the battle against
cancer, we are hopeful that in coming years,
research and technology will enable us to make
additional advances in this fight. In the meantime,
we can all do our part to reduce the incidences
of cancer by eating a nutritious diet, exercising
regularly, and scheduling regular checkups and
screenings. Also, talk to your doctor about your
personal risk for cancer, including your family
history.
Question: Do older adults who are diagnosed
with cancer receive the same aggressive treatments
as younger people?
Answer:
Not always. Older adults do not always receive the same cancer therapies as
a younger person because there is a misconception that geriatric patients
will not do as well with treatments. With many types of cancer, however,
older adults do indeed respond on par with their younger counterparts. (Unfortunately,
there are several cancers, such as leukemia, in which older adults do not
fare as successfully as younger patients).
To meet the needs of older adults with cancer,
oncologists are working toward designing specific
geriatric treatment strategies. For example,
when they are diagnosed with cancer, many older
adults already have one or more additional illnesses,
so their oncology treatment must encompass multiple
medications. Medical researchers are also currently
investigating an intriguing aspect of geriatric
oncology - why older adults are generally more
prone to cancer than younger people.
Because American adults are living longer in
the 21st century, there has been an increase
in the number of older men and women who are
diagnosed with cancer. To treat this group of
patients appropriately, oncology specialists
across the country - myself included - are working
toward understanding precisely how cancer develops
in older adults, how seniors can benefit from
customized treatments, and how we can improve
outcomes and overall quality of life.
If you are an older adult who has been diagnosed
with cancer, talk with your doctor about the
latest advances in the field of geriatric oncology.
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