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Fact Sheets: Cancer Therapy

Access to Investigational Drugs: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 11/19/2004) - A fact sheet that defines investigational drugs (drugs under study but not yet FDA approved) and describes the special conditions under which patients and their doctors can apply to receive these treatments. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.46

Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 05/13/2002) - A fact sheet that explains types of adjuvant therapies (treatment given in addition to primary therapy). Discusses side effects, risks, and benefits of adjuvant therapy. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.20

Angiogenesis Inhibitors Therapy: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/13/2008) - A fact sheet that describes the process of eliminating the blood supply to tumors. Lists the cancers in which this approach is being tested. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.42

Bevacizumab (Avastin™) for Treatment of Solid Tumors: Questions and Answers
(Posted: 08/03/2005) - Bevacizumab (Avastin™) was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved biological therapy designed to inhibit the formation of new blood vessels to tumors.

Biological Therapies for Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 06/13/2006) - A fact sheet that provides an overview of how the immune system functions and describes the actions of biological therapies. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.2

Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/31/2004) - A fact sheet that explains the step-by-step procedures of two types of transplantations used with high-dose chemotherapy, including their risks and benefits. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.41

Cancer Vaccine Fact Sheet
(Posted: 03/27/2003, Updated: 06/08/2006) - Cancer vaccines are intended either to treat existing cancers (therapeutic vaccines) or to prevent the development of cancer (prophylactic vaccines).

Clinical Trial Comparing Letrozole (Femara®) to Placebo Following Tamoxifen Therapy to Reduce the Risk of Cancer Recurrence Among Post-Menopausal Women Originally Diagnosed with Early-Stage Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Posted: 10/09/2003) - This trial was done to determine if letrozole (also called Femara®) would reduce the risk of cancer recurrence among women who have completed 4.5 to six years of tamoxifen therapy.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 01/17/2006) - A fact sheet that describes complementary and alternative methods of cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.50

COX-2 Inhibitors and Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Posted: 12/17/2004, Updated: 08/30/2006) - In the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) Trial of more than 2,000 men and women age 30 and older, those on celecoxib were found to have 33 percent to 45 percent fewer new adenomas than those taking a placebo, however those on celecoxib had almost twice the risk of a major cardiovascular event as people on placebo.

Cryosurgery in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 09/10/2003) - A fact sheet that describes cryosurgery, the technique of using extreme cold to treat tumors. Lists the indications, risks, benefits, and side effects of cryotherapy. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.34

Drug Discovery at the National Cancer Institute: Fact Sheet
(Posted: 03/01/2002, Updated: 06/06/2006) - The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has played an active role in the development of drugs for cancer treatment for over 40 years.

Follow-up Care After Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 03/08/2007) - A fact sheet that provides information about follow-up medical care for patients who have completed cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.48

Gene Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/31/2006) - A fact sheet that discusses research with genetic material in developing cancer therapies, including risks, benefits, and ethical issues. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.18

Herceptin® (Trastuzumab): Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 06/13/2006) - A fact sheet that describes Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of cancer. Includes information about common and serious side effects of the therapy. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.45

How To Find a Doctor or Treatment Facility If You Have Cancer
(Reviewed: 03/27/2008) - This fact sheet offers suggestions for choosing a physician and facility for cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.47

Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/12/2004) - A fact sheet that defines hyperthermia (treating tumors with heat) and its side effects. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.3

Lasers in Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/10/2004) - A fact sheet that describes use of high-intensity light in cancer treatment, its advantages and disadvantages, and types of procedures that use it. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.8

NCI Issues Clinical Announcement for Preferred Method of Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Posted: 01/04/2006) - This document provides background on advanced ovarian cancer, standard treatments, and intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 05/12/2004) - A fact sheet that explains photodynamic therapy, how it is administered, and indications and side effects of treatment. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.7

Preventive Mastectomy: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 07/27/2006) - A fact sheet that describes preventive mastectomy, in what situations it may be considered, and options for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.5

Radiation Therapy for Cancer: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 08/25/2004) - A fact sheet that defines the different types of radiation therapy and discusses scientific advances that improve the effectiveness of this treatment. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.1

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 04/27/2005) - A fact sheet that describes the sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure and details two clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of this procedure. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.44

TAILORx (Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment): Questions and Answers
(Posted: 05/23/2006) - TAILORx -- the Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (Rx) -- is designed to determine whether adjuvant hormonal therapy alone is as effective as adjuvant hormonal therapy in combination with chemotherapy for certain women with early-stage breast cancer.

Tamoxifen: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 03/17/2008) - A fact sheet that describes the action, risks, benefits, and side effects of tamoxifen, a drug that interrupts the hormone estrogen and its connection to breast cancer. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.16

Targeted Cancer Therapies: Questions and Answers
(Reviewed: 06/13/2006) - This NCI fact sheet describes targeted cancer therapies, which are drugs that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in carcinogenesis (the process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells) and tumor growth. National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet 7.49


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