The limiting factors in treating larger tumor loads

The limiting factors in treating larger tumor loads

Tumor breakdown symptoms

Patients receiving SPDT therapy may experience symptoms associated with tumor breakdown. The therapy induces cell death, releasing the cell contents and cell fragments into the blood. The most common symptom of tumor breakdown is tiredness. This could range from modest tiredness, requiring a few extra hours sleep each day, to complete exhaustion, requiring stopping the therapy until the symptoms subside. The more cancer present, the greater the likelihood and severity of tumor breakdown symptoms. For this reason our doctor has to design an individual therapy plan for each patient, and carefully monitor patient condition during the therapy. In general, the more cancer present, the slower the therapy, and the more that is done to control these symptoms. There is no point in overloading the patient’s detoxification organs - liver, kidneys, etc.

Please note these important points about tumor breakdown:

1. These symptoms are very mild by cancer treatment standards, and are easily managed by slowing down the treatment, by taking anti-inflammatory drugs, by taking supportive foods and herbs such as cod liver oil and St Mary's Thistle, and by drinking plenty of water.

2. This problem is rarely noticed with mainstream therapies. It is not a problem with surgery, because the tumor is removed rather than killed in situ. Tumor breakdown will rarely be noticed with chemotherapy because the therapy may not kill cancer at all, it may kill cancer slowly enough for the body to easily detoxify breakdown products, or the breakdown symptoms may be masked by more severe symptoms due to drug toxicity.

3. With a large tumor load, tumor breakdown symptoms are likely to be the limiting factor in SPDT treatment intensity. We give intense light treatment to areas where cancer is known or expected to be present. The length of treatment is increased each day until the patient (usually) experiences tumor breakdown. We then slow down and treat at the maximum comfortable light dosage. Ultra sound therapy is usually added when any tumor breakdown symptoms have abated.

4. If tumor breakdown symptoms are not present or easily manageable, a round of treatment will be completed in two weeks. If symptoms are significant, three weeks may be required. If symptoms are severe, a round may take even longer to complete.

5. Presence of "tumor breakdown symptoms" does not guarantee that we are killing cancer; however we believe that it is a reasonably reliable indicator that the treatment is working.

6. Note that these side effects are (usually) the result of successfully killing cancer. They are not the result of any inherent treatment toxicity. Given that we have cancer present, tumor breakdown symptoms are good symptoms to have.