FDA approves first use of novel immune system drug for cancer

Rajesh Shah, 66 was diagnosed with Stage 2 cancer in the urinary bladder and soon after underwent a prolonged surgery. The surgery was successful, and he is leading a normal life now for more than 6 years. He talks about his attitude towards life and his experience of living with a stoma bag, among other things. Please tell us about your present condition. Can you describe it? I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. But I had my operation about 6 and a half years back to remove it. I’m absolutely…

डॉ मैरी अब्राहम  दर्द और प्रशामक (उपशामक / पेलिएटिव केयर )देखभाल चिकित्सक (पेन एण्ड पेलिएटिव केयर फिज़िशन), और डॉ वंदना वी प्रकाश, नैदानिक मनोवैज्ञानिक (क्लीनिकल साइकालजिस्ट) इस लेख में बताती हैं कि कैंसर के दर्द का इलाज किया जा सकता है और कैंसर के रोगी की जीवन की गुणवत्ता को उपयुक्त दवाओं द्वारा बढ़ाया जा सकता है। वे इस से संबंधित अनेक प्रश्नों के उत्तर साझा करती हैं। कैंसर के दर्द पर अधिक ध्यान दिए जाने के बावजूद,  यह दर्द अभी भी कैंसर रोगियों और उत्तरजीवियों (सर्वाइवर) के लिए एक…

While fever is a normal response to infection, fever during cancer treatment needs to be taken seriously since the body’s immunity is compromised. Read on to understand how cancer treatment impacts immune systems, fever. Fever or pyrexia is a higher body temperature than normal. It may be due to an infection from bacteria, virus, fungus, parasite or even inflammation due to a disease or trauma. Fever is caused by substances called pyrogens. Contrary to what one may believe, fever is a good…

Concerns regarding sexual health are quite common among patients who have undergone cancer treatment, but rarely are these concerns addressed by their medical care team. Most patients are shy or embarrassed to bring it up and even made to feel guilty about raising them, while they are trying to fight cancer. We spoke to Dr Prasad Raj Dandekar, consultant radio-oncologist who talked to us about the need for cancer patients to openly discuss their sexual health with their doctor to navigate…

Vandana Mahajan, a palliative care counselor, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 15 years ago. She lost both her thyroid and parathyroid glands after cancer surgeries. In discussion with PatientsEngage, she reflects on her challenging journey and how her cancer diagnosis ultimately led her to find her identity. What were the initial symptoms that you experienced, and how did that lead to the diagnosis you received? In 2009, at the age of 36, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Two years prior…

Kidney cancer is not a well known cancer. People hardly talk about it. According to GLOBOCAN 2022, yearly incidence of kidney cancer in India is 17,480 with 5 year prevalence of 1.4% per 1 lac population. Number of deaths are 9897. This indicates that patients come in late and if they came early, they would have better chance of survival. Let us go through some frequently asked questions about kidney cancer in this article. What is kidney cancer? Kidney cancer is any cancer that affects the…

Bladder cancer is the 10th common cancer worldwide. In India it is often diagnosed late due to limited awareness of bladder cancer and its symptoms. Let us understand the symptoms of bladder cancer, the diagnostic tests, the treatment options and some commonly asked questions about bladder cancer treatment, prognosis and effect on quality of life.   What is bladder cancer? Urinary bladder is a muscular organ situated in the pelvic cavity. Its primary function is to store urine produced by…

31-year-old Shourabh Vittalmurthy was diagnosed with fibromatosis in 2016, and subsequently spindle cell sarcoma in 2022 and 2023. He shares his journey as a cancer survivor to show how adopting a positive mindset and staying resilient has been his guiding light through each challenging chapter. When was the cancer first diagnosed? The first occurrence of cancer was in 2016. I was pursuing my Masters in Manipal, India. A lump the size of a football, started growing out of my scapular region. I…

We have all had a cough in our life. While it is our body's natural reflex and a routine occurrence, a cough may signify more than a bodily function. It may be a powerful signal, an expression of our respiratory system trying to communicate with us. Whether the cough is fleeting, annoying, or persistent, it is a call for attention to the intricacies of our health. Through this article, we will decode everything about coughing and the significance it holds in the broader context of our health.…

नीमा 26 वर्ष की थीं जब उनको ऑस्टियोसारकोमा (हड्डी का कैंसर) का निदान मिला और उनका जीवन हमेशा के लिए बदल गया। इस लेख में वे अपनी उस चुनौतीपूर्ण यात्रा के बारे में बात करती हैं जिसमें कई सर्जरी, टांग का कटना, और अनेक अन्य मुश्किलों का सामना करना पड़ा, और यह भी साझा करती हैं कि कैंसर से लड़ने की हिम्मत और प्रेरणा उन्हें किस से मिली। कृपया हमें अपनी स्थिति के बारे में कुछ बताएं 1998 के नवंबर की बात है जब मैं सिर्फ 26 साल की थी और मुझे अपने घुटने के ओस्टियोसारकोमा (हड्डी का कैंसर) का निदान मिला। आपके…