Mga cancer na hindi alam ang pinagmulan

May mga cancer na hindi agad malaman ng mga doktor kung saan orihinal na nanggaling. Kung minsan ay makakakita sila ng mga matitigas na bukol sa katawan o kaya naman ay sa X-ray film na nagpapakita nang kakaibang paglaki ng baga. Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, lubhang napakahirap i-manage ng pasyente. The cancer specialist must determine whether the patient has a curable malignancy and can benefit from non-toxic systemic therapy.

Pagkatapos kunin ang history ng pasyente, kailangang magsagawa ang doktor ng dibdibang physical examination dito. Inspeksiyunin ang balat sa kung may bukol sa batok, balagat (clavicles), singit, suso, tumbong, bayag, thyroid, cervix at ovaries. Kung may makitang malaking bukol, kailangang ma-determine agad ng doctor kung saan ito nagmula.

Kailangang kumuha ang doktor ng sizable piece ng cancerous tissue upang maisagawa ang diagnosis dito. Sa ganitong paraan makikita ang pinagmulan ng cancer cells. Kung ang cancer ay ma-identify ng pathologist na adenocarcinoma, ito ay nag-originate sa baga, suso, obaryo, tiyan, colon o pancreas. Kapag na-identify namang squamous cell cancer. Ang pinagmulan naman nito ay maaaring sa ulo, batok o baga.

Other tumors may come from undefferentiated teratomas (a tumor composed of tissue which usually does not grow in the region where the tumor is located), lymphomas, (a tumor composed of lymph node tissue), melanomas (a cancer derived from cells containing pigment), sarcomas (a malignant tissue made up of connective tissues) and endocrine cancers that include the thyroid.

Ang pagsasagawa ng chest x-rays, upper GI series, barium enema, mammography at computerized tomography ay makatutulong upang matunton ang pinagmulan ng cancer. Ang pagsasagawa ng diagnostic ultrasound ay magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ay makatutulong. Masyado lamang magastos ang pagsasagawa ng mga ganitong tests at hindi makaya ng mga pasyenteng nasa middle at lower class.

In managing patients with widespread cancer, the physician must consider their condition, age, symptoms and where the cancer has spread. Cancer that has spread is incurable and symptomatic relief is advised. However, certain patients with this type of cancer can still be cured if they are sensitive to treatment. Many breast and prostatic cancers also respond well to hormone management aven these have already metastasized or spread.

Giving curative or palliative management must be thoroughly weighed by the doctor knowing that the various modalities of cancer management such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone theraphy and immunotheraphy are not competitive but are complementary to each other. To benefit the cancer patient, the above can be utilized separately, concomitantly or in sequence.