| Nowadays, cancer is one of the most serious | | | | treatment is compromised by reducing the doses |
| problems in medicine.Specialists try to discover | | | | or not respecting the schedule. So the chances of |
| new treatments. In clinics, the patients with | | | | long-term survival and cure are influenced by the |
| cancer that start a new treatment are closely | | | | way the treatments are being given. |
| followed. Physicians determine the optimal dose | | | | There are some situations when reductions in |
| which have the minimal side effects and offers | | | | doses of the treatment are unavoidable. This |
| the most numerous chances of survival. Because | | | | happens when there are older patients, or |
| doctors make often adjustments, the treatment | | | | patients with a higher stage of disease, patients |
| given to the patients does not always match with | | | | who aren't able to care for themselves. in this |
| the treatment that studies found it to be the | | | | circumstances the treatment have to be delayed |
| most effective. That's why sometimes people | | | | too. |
| receiving the treatment doesn't feel very well, | | | | The best moment to give the appropriate |
| even if that treatment is supposed to save their | | | | treatment are the early stages of the disease. |
| life. If the patients have to get chemotherapy it is | | | | Preventative care is very important. Specifically |
| very important to respect the recommended | | | | treatment to boost low white blood cell counts |
| doses and schedule, and it is also important to | | | | caused by chemotherapy, are more likely to |
| know the reasons why this rules are not | | | | receive the dose on time and to receive fuller |
| respected. | | | | dose intensity than those patients who didn't |
| There are a lot of cases when different types of | | | | receive these agents. There many reasons,not |
| cancer, like breast cancer or even the Non- | | | | only cancer, for which patients received these |
| Hodgkin's lymphoma, are not correctly treated | | | | medications from the beginning. |
| and it is not given the appropriate supportive | | | | Another cause of under- treatment is the |
| therapy. It was proved that if those patients | | | | situations when the patient doesn't tolerate the |
| were treated appropriately and the treatment | | | | chemotherapy the way it was expected to be. |
| guidelines were followed, they would have a good | | | | So it increases the concern about side effects. |
| chance of survival and possible cure. | | | | There are situations when the reduction in dose |
| The Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma is a very | | | | of the treatment is established from the very |
| aggressive type of cancer or the most common | | | | beginning, before the patient had received any |
| type of lymphoma. In lymphomas are affected | | | | kind of treatment. This is a conscious decision of |
| the lymph glands and nodes that are anywhere in | | | | the doctor who consult the patient and gets to |
| the body. So this kind of cancer can occur | | | | the conclusion that he won't tolerate the |
| everywhere in the body. There is also a Hodgkin's | | | | chemotherapy well. Other reductions in doses of |
| disease that can often occur in younger patients. | | | | the treatment occurs after starting therapy, |
| The incidence of the Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma is | | | | because of the side effects. In this case reducing |
| bigger in older patients, most frequently around | | | | the dose is a strategy to reduce the side effects |
| age 60, but latest it can occur in younger people | | | | of treatment. This has negative results because it |
| too. There is no explanation why this is one of | | | | is very sure that to this patients the disease will |
| the cancers that affects more and more | | | | come back months or years later. |
| individuals over the last 20 years. | | | | Supportive care is very important. Older patients, |
| Even if it is a very aggressive form of cancer it is | | | | patients who have more intensive symptoms |
| very responsive in treatment and potentially | | | | from their disease or a higher stage of disease, |
| curable cancer, which is a resemblance with the | | | | need a type of a more aggressive supportive |
| Hodgkin's disease. An appropriate treatment can | | | | care. If they are supported in a right way it is |
| give the patients the chance to be cured and to | | | | also recommended to be treated the same as |
| live a normal life. This is justified for more than | | | | younger patients are. This increases their chances |
| half of the patients. | | | | to be cured.When giving the supportive care it is |
| So it was proved that the aggressive disease is | | | | important to analyze the risk factors. This are the |
| more responsive to treatment which is a kind of | | | | patient's age that can easily lead to more side |
| a paradox which can be seen in many forms of | | | | effects or in the most cases determine the |
| rapidly growing cancers. The cells in this cancers | | | | physician to reduce the doses or schedule of the |
| are rapidly dividing, but they tend to be more | | | | treatment, even before starting it. Giving the right |
| responsive to treatment. The scientific explanation | | | | supportive care enables the patients at a higher |
| for this phenomenon is that the chemotherapy | | | | risk to receive the full treatment. |
| drugs are most active against rapidly growing cells. | | | | Supportive care helps physicians and patients with |
| The whole treatment in Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma | | | | cancer to control nausea, vomiting and infections |
| can last for about four to five months. If there is | | | | that can result because of the low white blood cell |
| an early stage disease, the patient may get a | | | | count. These are one of the most common side |
| shorter course of chemotherapy. This method | | | | effects of the toxicity of the chemotherapy. |
| must be combined with radiation therapy to the | | | | Supportive care includes treatments that can |
| affected area. Because the cancerous cells may | | | | improve the blood counts and also reduce the risk |
| be anywhere in the body the biggest part of the | | | | of infection. So if the patients seem not to |
| patients with cancer needs to be treated | | | | tolerate the chemotherapy well, it is |
| systemically with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is | | | | recommended to use the supportive care and not |
| a combination of four or five drugs. The whole | | | | to modify the doses and schedule in treatment. |
| treatment program can run over a period of | | | | This way the patient will be allowed to go through |
| about four to five months. | | | | the full program. |
| Even if this form of cancer is a curable one, there | | | | There are different kinds of treatments available |
| are people with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who | | | | and it is very important for the patients recently |
| being under-treated. | | | | diagnosed Non- Hodgkin's lymphoma to ask an |
| This under- treatment means a substantial dose | | | | oncologist about the side effects of those |
| reductions or treatment delays during their | | | | treatments and what can be done to diminish and |
| chemotherapy. This is one of the reasons why | | | | to prevent them. It is very important for this |
| some of this patients presents side effects and | | | | patients to get the full treatment and to know |
| they don't get cured. It was proved in clinical trials | | | | that the target is to minimize side effects and to |
| that patients who receive the appropriate | | | | increase the effects of the appropriate treatment. |
| treatment do better than patients whose | | | | |