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Overview
Solid tumors are defined as abnormal masses of tissue that usually do not contain cysts or liquid areas. Solid tumors may be benign (not cancerous), or malignant (cancerous). A number of malignant diseases are often also categorized as “solid tumors” in the clinic such as breast cancer, cancer of the pancreas, lung, colon, etc.
Solid tumors can be split into three separate categories, depending on the type of cells from which they typically arise in the patient’s body, which include:
- Sarcomas: Cancers arising from connective or supporting tissues such as bone or muscle.
- Carcinomas: Cancers arising from the body's glandular cells and epithelial cells, which line the air passages and gastrointestinal tract.
- Lymphomas: Cancers of the lymphoid organs such as lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus, which produce and store infection-fighting cells.
Symptoms
Because solid tumors can develop in a wide variety of organs in the body, there are often no clear symptoms. The nature of the symptoms depends not only on the organ where the cancer starts developing but specifically where the cancer is located within an organ, the rate of the cancer growth, and whether or not the growth of the cancer has spread beyond the initial organ (also called metastases).
Diagnosis
To make a diagnosis of solid tumor, the doctor evaluates the patient’s (and may request his/her family) medical history, performs a physical examination and a series of different diagnostic tests. These tests depend on the symptoms the patient experiences and reports to the doctor.
A list of the different tests used to diagnose solid tumors is included below:
- X-rays. Create images of areas inside the body.
- CT (or CAT) scan. A series of detailed pictures of internal areas of the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Uses a powerful magnet connected to a computer to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
- PET scan. Uses a type of sugar that is absorbed by cancer cells which then appear as dark areas (compared to normal cells) on a scan.
- Biopsy. The surgical removal of tissue. A pathologist will examine the tissue removed under a microscope to determine if it contains cancer cells and make a final diagnosis. Ultimately, a biopsy is the only sure way to tell whether patients have developed cancer in their organs.
Determining Treatment Options
The treatment plan for an individual patient depends on a number of different factors, including the exact location of the cancer, the stage of the cancer, and the patient's age and general health. Both patient and doctor should consider all treatment options carefully, and discuss each type of treatment and how that treatment might affect the quality of life of the patient.
Treatments
There are many treatment options for patients with solid tumors. These include:
- Surgery—recommended for all tumors that can be operated on, usually followed by radiation therapy (see Radiation therapy below).
- Chemotherapy—uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. Several studies have shown that adding chemotherapy to radiation may improve the patient's life expectancy (see Radiation therapy below).
- Radiation therapy—uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Biogen Idec Investigational Treatments
- Clinical trials—using investigational treatments may be discussed as a possible treatment option for some patients, depending on the specific requirements of the different trials and the patient’s cancer stage and disease status. Click here to learn more about clinical trials. About Clinical Trials
Currently, Biogen Idec is conducting clinical trials in a number of solid tumors.
For more information, click here. To contact Biogen, click here.
Solid Tumor Resources
http://www.mayoclinic.org/
http://www.cancer.gov/
http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat424.html
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