Cyclophosphamide for Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma can be cured when it is detected in its early stages. However, as in any form of cancer, treatment must be targeted to the specific subtype of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Results from a recent clinical trial has shown no significant difference of the effects between low-dose oral prednisone and cyclophosphamide on delaying and preventing the resolution of acute GVHD after allogeneic BMT.

Common treatments for adenomas include endoscopic resection, endoscopic mucosal resection, or surgery. Treatment options include chemo or chemoradiation therapy. In the case of adenocarcinoma, treatment commonly centers around surgery as well as the use of radiation and/or chemo therapy. The advent and popularity of immunotherapy is increasing annually. There is also growing evidence for the use of photodynamic therapy to be a safe and effective treatment in some adenocarcinomas that are resistant to other options.

Adenocarcinoma of the lung is an increasingly common lung cancer in the U.S., and has been diagnosed almost as frequently as in 1990. In addition, cigarette smoking, particularly in combination with other risk factors, plays an important role in the development of lung adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma is one of two histologic subtypes of lung cancer. In the United States, it is the eighth most common form of lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma causes a significant number of deaths (about 2250 deaths in the US per year). Adenocarcinoma cases include bronchioloalveolar, alveolar, acinar, papillary, squamous, sarcomatoid, adenosquamous and micropapillary variants.

Symptoms of adenocarcinoma are often present, but often subtle and non-specific. Some symptoms, such as weight loss and anemia, may be present regardless of the cause of the abdominal pain. Painless adenocarcinoma can lead to a diagnostic error.

In the opinion of an experienced general surgeon, adenocarcinoma seems more aggressive than SCC; when only a limited number of prognostic factors are considered (sex, age, stage, and grade), the difference is not statistically significant, but is substantial clinically. If a multicenter trial confirms these results, then the need for large-scale, multi-institutional clinical trials should be reconsidered.

Cyclophosphamide works by increasing the proliferation of the target cells and the subsequent generation of G2/M cells in SCC. The increased toxicity of this agent may in turn increase the number of cells in SCC, which may allow the cells to survive the toxic effects of the drug. Thus, cyclophosphamide may have a new treatment role in SCC.

Adenocarcinoma is diagnosed in 1 in 300 patients seen in oncology clinics. The primary cause of adenocarcinoma is unknown in 50% of patients and is likely related to environmental carcinogens.

Cyclophosphamide does not normally cure patients with Hodgkins disease. This drug can often give relief from some of the symptoms of a [Hodgkins disease]]; however, the patient is usually able to manage the side effects as long as they take the drug on a regular basis. Symptoms such as fever, sore eyes, painful/tender cheeks, swelling, [vomiting], achiness, itching, fatigue etc often disappear. Therefore, cyclophosphamide treatment can also be used as maintenance therapy or to treat the disease in relapse, especially in those patients [HIV positive] who carry Hodgkins disease as well as those patients who have relapsed after previous therapies.