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Widespread cancer was randomly identified
“It just came to our attention then. In January 2001 I had a hypertensive crisis. In search of the reasons for the sudden increase in blood pressure, changes were found in one of the kidneys. I was immediately referred to the Institute of Oncology, where an investigation A closer look revealed cancerous lesions in the liver and then elsewhere in the body, then my cancer had already spread.
The doctors decided to operate, a date was set for the operation, but it didn’t happen because I got sick with pneumonia. One can imagine the psychological crisis he was in at the time.
Until now, I remember being reassured at that time, the chief physician of the hospital, Antanas Vinkus (a well-known politician – ed.), Who visited during the visit. He assured that even in such a situation it is possible to cure. A medical council was convened and a new date was set for the operation, ”said the interlocutor at a remote conference organized by the National Cancer Institute (IMI).
Photo from personal archive / Rimvydas Jasinavičius
This was followed by long-term rehabilitation, two cycles of chemotherapy, and regular check-ups. The few months originally promised were extended to 20 years. All those years, R. Jasinavičius celebrates the date of the operation, which lasted more than 10 hours, as his second birthday.
“Every disease has its root cause. Treatment is simply fighting the consequences. But first you have to eradicate the causes. From my experience I can say that the main cause of oncological diseases is stress. Reducing it in all areas would be the best prevention. So there may not be as many new cancers each year. And another important thing is to identify the changes as soon as possible ”, considered the interlocutor.
He pointed out that it is very important for a patient with oncological disease to have his own administrator, as he cannot be himself due to both the psychological condition and the symptoms of the disease, and the doctors are overworked.
“I was lucky, I had a coach like that. She became my wife, who supervised me and evaluated my condition and, if necessary, joined all the medical forces, ”said R. Jasinavičius.
From my experience I can say that the main cause of oncological diseases is stress.
Scientific progress offers new hope
Prof. of the Institute of Oncology of the School of Medicine of LSMU and of the Clinic of Oncology and Hematology of Kaunas Clinics prof. According to Elona Juozaitytė, in clinical practice there have always been many questions about why several patients with the same disease, such as lung cancer, respond differently to the prescribed treatment.
A specific oncological disease was thought to be of one type. However, dozens of genetic mutations are currently being identified that have influenced, say, the development of lung tumors. However, scientific advances have opened up entirely new treatment possibilities.
Photo by Julius Kalinskas / 15min / Elona Juozaitytė
Of course, it is sometimes frustrating because extensive research shows that no innovative treatment is appropriate for some patients. However, researchers continue to pursue targets to develop new drugs that block the cancer genome. In other words, the goal in cancer cells is to identify unique DNA mutations that, if blocked, can control the disease.
“Modern research can detect specific genetic changes and predict the course of the disease and individualize treatment. However, the promising personalized medicine is based not only on genomics, but also on the investigation of the proteins produced in our body, the analysis of all metabolic reactions in the body, etc.
A major advance is also associated with the introduction into clinical practice of immunotherapy based on the regulation of ineffective immune responses. The Nobel Prize was awarded for these discoveries. It is a treatment that seeks to trigger the body’s own fight against cancer by activating the T lymphocytes that fight cancer cells.
In Lithuania, we can already apply a treatment based on the identified biological markers and the mutations found in the patient’s tissue samples. And those innovations that enter clinical practice dramatically change a patient’s prognosis. We couldn’t expect that before, but now patients are living much longer, even with generalized disease, “said the doctor.
According to her, traditional therapies are also being improved: radiotherapy is being developed, new technologies are being introduced, the role of chemotherapy and hormonal treatment is still important, but thinking is changing. We go from a type of drug to treat a specific disease to personalized medicine, where it is understood that each cancer is unique.
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