Guide to Cancer Treatment
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Part I - Cancer Industry Overview:
  
a. Historical perspective on cancer industry (Eastern vs. Western Medicine). 
  
b. Different approaches to treating cancer globally with emphasis on U.S. vs. European, particularly German Oncology, practices and paradigms.  
  
c. Variation in treatment practices within the U.S.  
  
d. Current trends in the cancer industry in diagnosis (chemo drug testing and molecular mutation testing) and treatment (biological therapies, targeted t
herapies, vaccine therapies, etc.)  
  
e. Integrative vs. Standard Conventional cancer treatment approach.  
  
f. Importance of holistic approach to cancer treatment success (mind / body / nutritional).  

Part II
- Initial Diagnosis of Cancer:
Part III - Cancer Therapy Options:
Part IV - Nutrition for Cancer:
Part V - More Cancer Resources:
Part VI - Cancer Medical Terms:
Part VII - Survivor Characteristics:

Part VIII - Self-help Approaches:
Part IX - Testimonials of Survivors:
Part X - Forum for Patients:
Part XI - What would I do: 
Part XII - Recent Developments:
Part XIII - Other Cancer Info:


Part I - Overview of the Cancer Industry
          c. Variations in Treatment Practices within the U.S.

Depending on where you are located in the U.S., the cancer treatment options available can have important differences.  This is not to be confused with the fact that certain major medical centers are considered to offer the most advanced cancer treatment (see the link below for those):
US News and World Report

Chemosensitivity Testing
One of the important cancer treatment option differences, depending on your location in the U.S., is chemosensitivity testing, which is widely used in California but not very often in other parts of the country at this time.  This test of “your” cancer tissue at places like Dr. Robert Nagourney’s Rational Therapeutic Labs, determines which combination of chemotherapy drugs will kill “your” cancer with 95% reliability of the results. The procedure used in most other parts of the U.S. by oncologists involves the use of clinical trial data that indicates which drugs will work for “most” patients with that type and stage of cancer.  The chemosensitivity test requires co-ordination of the surgeon and the Labs to assure adequate and live tissue samples for testing and the results are returned in about one week.  The cost of the test is likely not covered by insurance and varies depending on the type of cancer being tested.  The link below shows more information on this procedure:
Rational Therapeutics

Sentinel Node Testing
Another treatment difference that still exists in some medical centers in the U.S. is how one is checked for lymph node involvement .  The best practice is to use “sentinel node” testing, particularly for breast cancer where a dye is injected into the area of the cancer tumor and then after a short period, only those lymph nodes to which the dye has traveled are removed with the results being very accurate as to the possibility of cancer metastasis.  This is in contrast to the procedure where a large number of lymph nodes are removed with the resulting risk of lymphodema,  (swelling of an arm for example) that could result in the need to wear an elastic sleeve for the rest of your life and possibly limiting air travel. 

Chronomodulated Chemotherapy
This type of chemotherapy, which again is not widely used in the U.S., is administered based on the individual's particular circadian rhythm.  It is believed that this approach increases the effectiveness of the chemotherapy treatment while lowering the toxicity and side effects.  The link below discusses the importance of this approach and indicates one of the medical centers where it is currently being offered:
The Block Center