ISCI 1A24 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Taxus Brevifolia, Debulking, Taxane
29 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Complexity of cost-benefit analysis with human factors. Rationale for recommended treatments with ovarian cancer. Complexity of human ecology (intra & interspecific interactions) Reproductive system very susceptible to cancer, including ovaries difficult to diagnose: deep-seeded, masked. Ovarian cysts benign, symptoms of back and abdominal pain, lethargy. Ovarian tumours usually diagnosed in stage 3, difficult to diagnose until it has spread via the lymph system or direct extension to other organs or tissues. Was 6th highest among new diagnoses in 1998. Diagnosis at stage 1 = good chance of survival. Includes primary surgery for diagnosis, staging, then chemotherapy. Goal of primary surgery = to reduce burden of ovarian cancer to little or no residual disease. Recommended initial chemotherapy following debulking is generally a platinum- and-taxane chemotherapy combination given every 3 weeks for 18 weeks. Platinum drug of choice is either carboplatin or cisplatin, and taxane (originally from bark of pacific yew tree) is either paclitaxel or docetaxel.
