Mycosis fungoides is a main subtype of a cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), in which a heterogeneous collection of lymphomas develop into malignant cancer cells, primarily affecting the skin. This disease can be distinguished from other cutaneous T cell lymphomas by its unique clinical and histologic features (Armitage et al., 2010). Mycosis fungoides can be treated several different ways and is dependent on several factors such as the stage of the cancer, health of the patient, presenting symptoms and patient-specific issues (Parker & Bradley, 2006). Traditional therapies for mycosis fungoides involved radiation therapy, oral psoralen with UVA light therapy and narrow- and broadband UVB light therapy. Recently, novel therapies have been established to treat CTCL and several of them are starting to become routine therapies for the erythrodermic subgroup of mycosis fungoides. This paper will discuss the historical background of the disease as well as the new techniques that have been used within the past few years and the traditional methods of treatment.
T cells are genetically prepared to protect and survey the human body from any environmental stressors, foreign agents and malignancy. Some of these T cells are programmed to protect the skin. Once the body is infected with T lymphocytes, the T cells infiltrate the skin, work together to eradicate the allergen and eventually they undergo the process of natural cell death. However, when specific skin-homing T lymphocytes infect the skin, they then clonally expand and are sometimes unable to exit the skin compartment. Once the lymphocytes accumulate within the skin, the reaction is then known as a rash. This proliferation of abnormal cloning of T cells within the skin distinguishes ...
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...ter researching mycosis fungoides, I have learned that the cause of this disease is unknown and unless detected at an early stage, it is most likely not curable. What are fortunate for patients with mycosis fungoides are the numerous therapeutic options which I find to be remarkable. Since the treatment options are mainly palliative, I have realized the goals of therapy for this disease are symptom relief and consideration for their quality of life. Although most techniques are chosen based upon clinical stage of the disease, what I find most promising is total skin electron beam radiation therapy. With this type of technology being around for several years, and continuously updating to modern techniques, I find it most beneficial to patients. However, there are several options available for patients and being able to combine different therapies is in their favor.
If lymphatic cancer is found treatment is required immediately to get rid of the cancer cells as soon as possible so damage as is not done to normal cells.
The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body, and it defends the body from “foreign invaders.” Immunity can be divided in two three different defenses, and these are defined as first, second and third lines of defense. The first line of defense for the immune system is the primary defense against pathogens entering the body from the surface in order to prevent the start of disease and infection. Some examples of the first line of defense is the skin, protecting the external boundaries of the body, and the mucous membranes, protecting the internal boundaries of the body. Although the skin and mucous membranes work on the internal and external boundaries, they both release chemicals
... Impact of ozone depletion on skin cancers. The Journal of Dermatologic Surgery and Oncology 14: 853-857.
The major practical issue to be surmounted with any transplant is immunological. For a transplant to be successful the transplanted tissue must not...
2. External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) which is usually offered when the lung cancer is either considered to be primary, or when it has metastasized (spread to other organs). This form of treatment uses a linear accelerator machine to focus a precise beam of radiation on a given area of the body for a precise period of time to kill off cancerous cells.
“Immune Response: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. .
At this day in age we are constantly trying to improve the field of medicine in any way that we possibly can. We cherish every birthday and continually try to prolong life. Not only through every field of medicine, especially in terms of cancer. The American Cancer Society is “the official sponsor of birthdays” and is making leaps and bounds in the types of care that cancer patients receive. One of these many breakthroughs is the practice of Stereotactic (Body) Radiotherapy or S(B)RT. SBRT and other radiation therapies have the ability to greatly improve the way that we treat the issue of cancer and the variation of treatment options; however, they have raised the concerns of long term effects from radiation and cost-effectiveness. As research has begun to show, radiation therapies are having great success in curing cancer.
Hochadel, M. (2014). Mosby's Drug Reference for Health Care Professionals (fourth edition ed.). : Elsevier.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects 125 million people world wide according to the World Psoriasis Day consortium. The origin of psoriasis is unknown, but many doctors and researches believe that genetics, along with environmental factors, trigger a hyperactive reaction of the immune system that leads to the relatively harmless, yet uncomfortable skin disease. The response of the immune system induces skin cells to multiply and mature rapidly, causing the skin cells to accumulate on top of each other and as a result, the skin becomes red, scaly, itchy, and forms thick patches on the skin. Despite that this disease is the most frequent auto-immune disease in the world, there is no cure for it. Not only is there no cure for psoriasis, but this disease can lead to other problems depending on the severeness of the disorder for example: psoriatic arthritis. However, this chronic disease has several treatment options that if used correctly and in a timely manner, will reduce and lessen the symptoms.( Although there is no cure for psoriasis, understanding how it begins, recognizing the symptoms, and learning about treatment options can enhance the quality of life for a person diagnosed with psoriasis.)
The human race is known to have developed numerous allergies to various known and unknown allergens. An extreme allergic reaction which can be “life-threatening”. Mydr.com.au, 2014) is referred to as Anaphylaxis. It is a “medical emergency”(Lloyd & Sisman,2013).Statistics indicate that maximum deaths occur due to allergic reactions to various medicines. Other causative agents can be insects, food, latex, hair dye, etc(Lloyd & Sisman,2013).
Radiation therapists work closely with patients to fight cancer. According to Health Care Careers, Oncologists, Dosimetrists and nurses are some of the professionals that a radiation therapist works with while caring for a cancer patient. This group of professionals will determine a specialized treatment plan. The first step usually includes a CT scan performed by a radiologist to find the exact area that needs to be targeted with x-rays. Next, the therapist uses a special machine that emits radiation called a Linear Accelerator. They use this machine during a treatment called external beam therapy. During this process, the Linear Accelerator will project x-rays at targeted cancer cells or tumors. Another therapist will be in a different room monitoring the patient’s viral signs until the procedure is over. The external therapy l...
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been present in the human population for thousands of years; fragments of the spinal column from Egyptian mummies from 2400 BCE show definite pathological signs of tubercular decay. Called "consumption," tuberculosis was recognized as the leading cause of mortality by 1650. Using a new staining technique, Robert Koch identified the bacterium responsible for causing consumption in 1882. While scientists finally had a target for fighting the disease, they did not have the means to treat patients; the spread of infection was controlled only by attempting to isolate patients. At the turn of the twentieth century, more than 80% of the population in the United States was infected before age 20, and tuberculosis was still the leading cause of death. The production of antibiotics in the 1940’s allowed physicians to begin effectively treating patients, leading to huge drops in the death rate of the disease. Tuberculosis is still a major cause of mortality in young adults worldwide, but is less of a problem in developed countries.
Usually, in a healthy person, there is a delicate balance among immune cells not to be oversensitive to antigens. However, in asthmatic person airway inflammation reflects the distortion of this sensitive balance. For instance exposure to defined allergies or nonspecific stimuli initiates a cascade of cellular activations resulting both acute and chronic inflammatory responses such as wheezing, chest tightness, dyspnea and cough (McPhee & Hammer, 2012).
...cations. Many people will find that amount of sunlight they receive has little or no impact on the state of their psoriasis, but in the cases where the light therapy has worked, it seems to reduce the appearance of the lesions greatly. Obviously, the risk of the UV light therapy is the possible threat of skin cancer.