0 Recommendations
Does anyone know or have heard that when their tumor was shrinking that there was inflammation around the tumor?
Anyone know what it might mean?
Thanks
Janet
Already a member? Sign in
Welcome to Inspire!
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
Inflammation around Tumor?
- By Starlightsquad
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 4:45 am · 4 replies
- In Non-small cell lung cancer - General
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
4 replies
- Oldest first
- Newest first
- By Khari
- Posted January 5, 2009 at 8:06 pm
- Report post
Janet
Inflammation means healing.
My husband had a spot on his PET scan last summer that was taken a few months following his surgery and they said it was either a new tumor or inflammation.
When I asked why it would be "inflamed", the doctor said that means healing. Thankfully this spot turned out to be inflammation and the next PET scan was clear.
Khari
- By claires
- Posted January 6, 2009 at 9:01 am
- Report post
Makes sense. Imagine a cut finger healing. Isn't it red around it?
- By LUCKYSTARS
- Posted January 8, 2009 at 11:37 pm
- Report post
The Doctor taking the biopsy said something similar and didn't really think I had cancer. He thought it was an infection or something of the sort. So I would wait and see what the doctor's say. You have the best so just ask all the questions you have and make sure you get the answers. I know from my experiences with both doctors they will help you through this. I made it and you will too. Patty
- By gpawelski
- Posted January 9, 2009 at 12:44 pm
- Report post
Inflammation around the tumor could be an indication of endothelial cells growing. While tumors can be shrinking, there could be growth of endothelial cells.
Endothelial growth factor (EGF) causes endothelial cells to grow. EGF is an important activator of angiogenesis. Tumor angiogenesis is the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow. This is caused by the release of chemicals by the tumor.
Research has shown that oncogenes (genes that help cancer cells grow), cytokines (substances produced by the immune system), and Hypoxia (a low-oxyten environment, which is common in tissues around solid tumors) can all directly or indirectly activate EGF, thereby starting angiogenesis.
EGF causes angiogenesis by attaching to special receptors (proteins on the outside of cancer cells that act like doorways), and this action starts a series of chemical reactions inside the cell. A drug like Avastin blocks a receptor for EGF. Researchers have identified a dozen other activators of angiogenesis, some of which are similar to EGF.
Drugs, like Avastin, are designed to stop angiogenesis are called angiogenesis inhibitors or antiangiogenesis agents. Typically, these drugs are given with other types of therapy, such as traditional chemotherapy.
Angiogenesis inhibitors act in the following ways:
Blocking the growth of endothelial cells
Stopping the chemical process that breaks down the extracellular matrix
Preventing the action of EGF and other similar growth factors that can cause angiogenesis
Blocking general processes in the body that indirectly lead to angiogenesis, such as inflammation
An angiogenesis inhibitor like Avastin appears to stop endothelial cells from forming new blood vessels.
Avastin is a monoclonal antibody, which is a substance produced in the laboratory that attaches to specific places on the surface of cancer cells. The drug blocks EGF receptors. Many other angiogenesis inhibitors are being tested in clinical trials to treat a variety of cancers.
There are clinical trials going on with the addition of angiogenesis inhibitors added to chemotherapy. However, EGF-targeted drugs are poorly-predicted by measuring the ostansible target (EGFR), but can be well-predicted by measuring the effect of the drugs on the function of live cells. It is a bioengineering problem worked on by cell biologists.
Add to the discussion