Immunotherapy is used to boost the immune system in the treatment of disease like cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), it includes monoclonal antibodies used in targeted therapy, vaccines and other treatments that boost...
Colon cancer is malignant growths that form in the colon, or large intestine, according to the American Cancer Society. Colon and rectal cancer are often grouped together as colorectal cancer, and either cancer can be referred to with this term....
Doxil (doxorubicin HCL liposome injection) is an anthracycline agent used to treat ovarian cancer and AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Doxil is a drug used for chemotherapy. It is typically administered every four weeks. The Food and Drug...
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited condition characterized by abnormalities in the shape of the body's red blood cells. Sickle-shaped cells periodically block blood flow to parts of the body and adversely affect the functioning of the spleen and...
Pyridoxine, commonly referred to as vitamin B6, is a member of the B-complex family of vitamins. It is found in high amounts in meat, fish, poultry and shellfish, and in lesser amounts in leafy green vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains....
Rectal cancer may also be referred to as colorectal cancer, which encompasses colon and rectal cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The rectum is the last six inches of the digestive system where stool is held until it is excreted,...
Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited blood disorders that causes a structural abnormality in most or all of the hemoglobin in the red blood cells (RBCs). Sickle cell anemia is the most common of the sickle cell diseases and most frequently...
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells, and is a common form of treatment for pancreatic cancer. It can be used in any stage of pancreatic cancer, but is most commonly used in advanced stages, according to the American Cancer...
Chemotherapy is often used as a treatment for colorectal cancer, and treatment regimens typically consist of a combination of drugs in order to be more effective. FOLFOX is one regimen for advanced colorectal cancer, and consists of the drugs...
Sunitinib (brand name Sutent) is an anti-cancer targeted therapy drug that is used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) and advanced renal cell cancer (chemocare.com). It interferes with a growth factor that aids in tumor growth and...
According to the American Cancer Society, in 2009 approximately 57,760 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. This includes both renal cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinomas of the renal pelvis. Treatment...
Chemotherapy is normally used in combination with surgery and/or radiation for the treatment of colon cancer. Chemotherapy usually follows surgery as a part of an overall treatment plan to extend colon cancer survival. If found and treated in...
Angiogenesis inhibitors, also known as anti-angiogenic drugs, are becoming increasingly important in cancer therapy. These drugs interfere with the growth of new blood vessels and vasculature, which help to feed tumor growth. By blocking...
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder found prominently in people of African descent, though it can occur in anyone. In this disease, the hemoglobin in red blood cells is deformed, resulting in characteristic sickle-shaped cells that...
Cytarabine, or Ara-C, is used to treat several kinds of leukemia and may also be used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the American Cancer Society. It can be given in high doses in some cases of leukemia and may be given intravenously,...
Part of chemotherapy for cancer patients involves taking medications either orally or intravenously. With few exceptions, these cytotoxic medications can have significant side effects. Fortunately, there are medications that can temper the effects...
Sickle cell is an inherited type of anemia that results in abnormal red blood cells. These abnormal red blood cells are not able to carry oxygen to the body's tissues because they are rigid, sticky and shaped like crescent moons instead of being...
Although liver cancer can be resistant to many chemotherapy drugs, the American Cancer Society lists several that have been effective for short periods of time. Regional chemotherapy is typically used, according to the National Cancer Institute,...
Sickle cell disease, also called sickle cell anemia, is an inherited disorder that disrupts the function of red blood cells. According to the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, people affected with sickle cell disease have an abnormal...
Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition that affects red blood cells. The disease causes red blood cells to contain an abnormal type of hemoglobin and have a sickle shape, which can prevent the cells from flowing smoothly through small blood...
Nexavar is the brand name for sorafenib, a prescription medication used in the treatment of cancer. According to Drugs.com, an online drug reference, Nexavar slows down the growth of cancer cells and decreases the spread of those cells throughout...
Chemotherapy drugs target rapidly multiplying cancer cells, but they can't distinguish cancer from hair, skin or blood cells. Targeted therapies are available for certain cancers, but all drugs have side effects. Although the symptoms experienced...
Sickle cell disease is a condition where the body makes defective red blood cells that have a peculiar sickle shape. It is a genetic disease which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), affects between 70,000 to...
The chemotherapy regimen CMF is used to treat breast cancer, and contains the drugs cyclophosphamide (brand name Cytoxan), methotrexate (brand name Mexate or Folex) and 5-fluorouracil (brand names 5-FU and Adrucil) (cancer.org). As with any...
There are hundreds of diseases that can cause joint pain similar to that experienced by rheumatoid arthritis patients. Some conditions such as bursitis also cause inflamed, red or swollen joints but are not systemic. Rheumatoid arthritis and...
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disease that causes the normal red blood cells to form a sickle shape during periods of deoxygenation. The main component of the disease is the erythrocytes (red blood cells) change from the normal discoid shape to...
If you are suffering from a nutritional deficiency, you may experience problems with leg cramps. Vitamins and minerals related to leg cramp symptoms include vitamin D, iron, potassium and magnesium. Vitamin deficiencies are more likely in...
You use your wrists in many activities involving your hands. Whether throwing a ball or opening a jar of pickles, the more wrist strength you have, the easier the task becomes. But your wrists don't actually have muscles to strengthen. Thus,...
Blisters, small fluid-filled circular shaped bumps, occur as part of many childhood diseases. Most are self-limited and have no long term affects, but can make children uncomfortable. Many occur as part of systemic illnesses that also cause fever...