Surgeries that preserve the chance of becoming a mother in cervical cancer… Treatments targeting the tumor directly with smart drugs… Medical methods decided upon by examining the genome of the tumor… These new methods developed by medicine with a dizzying speed increase the life quality and life expectancy of cancer patients as well as increasing their hopes for the future….
Pink Traces Women's Cancer Association organized another live broadcast event titled “Current and Innovative Approaches in Female Cancers” within the scope of awareness studies. The expert guests of the event, moderated by the association president Arzu Karataş, of the live broadcast sponsored by infogenetics, were Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Vardar and Medical Oncology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Umut Dişel became. In the event, where new developments in the treatment of female cancers from surgery to medical oncology were conveyed; The methods that have recently entered into practice in breast cancer, especially uterine, cervical and ovarian cancer, and that could become standard treatment in the future were explained.
Getting a cancer diagnosis
Stating that some patients diagnosed with cancer experience severe fear and anxiety, Medical Oncology specialist Assoc. Dr. Umut Dişel: “Of course, being afraid and worrying is a normal reaction. However, it is very important to overcome this feeling and continue treatments. It is necessary to stay away from the idea that 'I have cancer, I will die'. Of course, cancer treatment is a long and difficult process. However, the success rate is high and increasing, especially in early stage cancers. New methods are being developed and the methods provide both the quality of life of the patients and the satisfactory results in treatment ”.
The cervix is the only cancer that can be prevented by vaccination!
Stating that cervical, uterine and ovarian cancers are the most common types of cancers specific to women, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Vardar stated that thanks to the measures taken in cervical cancer, the incidence in developed countries has gradually decreased and continued his words as follows:
“Every year 500 thousand women in the world meet with cervical cancer. 250 thousand women die every year for this reason. 80 percent of these deaths are in regions such as Africa, South America, Far East Asia and Eastern Europe. However, the incidence of cervical cancers in the world in 1950 was almost similar in all countries. However, the widespread use of screening tests and the spread of cervical vaccine in developed countries changed this rate. Today, the rate of cervical cancer in countries such as North America, Australia and Canada is extremely low.
In the future, cervical cancer will be almost nonexistent
Stating that there are many advantages in the prevention of cervical cancer, Prof. Dr. Vardar said the World Health Organization has a goal to remove uterine cancer from the world in the future, as achieved in smallpox. Prof. Dr. Vardar said, “We have advantages that are not found in any cancer type in the world. With the smear test, which is a screening method, we detect cancer cells that will turn into cancer or. "We can take preventive measures with the vaccine before it is infected with the person.
Chance to become a mother with womb-sparing surgery!
Underlining that the death rate in advanced stage cervical cancer is very high, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Vardar stated that surgery is the first option in case of early stage detection and continued as follows: “In early stage tumors, we were treating the patient with a surgical method that we removed the uterus from the whole. However, most of these patients were young, and removal of the uterus meant they lost their chance of becoming mothers. They could not have children. However, recent research has shown that removing the tumor area to protect the uterus is as effective as removing the uterus. Thus, we now perform operations in which the uterus is protected. We both treat the disease and protect the patient's chance of having children ”
The genome of the tumor is like a fingerprint
In recent years, tests that examine the genetic structure of the tumor have been used. The genetic map of the tumor is created by screening more than 300 genes at the same time. Thus, by detecting mutations in genes, genes whose structure is changed can be identified. Emphasizing that this method from the future can be applied as a standard in the treatment of every patient, Medical Oncology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Umut Dişel: “The genes of the tumor are checked. The gene map of the tumor is being drawn. But you can think of each patient's tumor very different from each other, like a fingerprint. Just as a person's genes are different from each other, his tumor has characteristics separate from other patients' tumors. This is a new generation high technology monitoring method. We use it in many types of cancer. We frequently benefit from the treatment of women's cancers, breast or lung cancer. This method gives us clues as to which medications the patient will respond better to which treatment. In other words, it acts as a navigation for treatment. In this way, with the prescribed drug treatments, the life quality of the patient increases and the life span is prolonged ”.
Drawing attention to the continuing research to correct the gene mutations detected in the tumor, the experts stated that although these new generation drugs are still in the research phase, there is an important development that will increase the success of the treatment.