When it comes to cancer treatments, there have been many medical advancements in the last decade. Here is a brief history and review of a drug called Thalidomide and how it's being used successfully to treat painful skin and bone cancers and conditions.
A Brief History of Thalidomide
Thalidomide was originally developed in the 1950's by American chemists to ease morning sickness in pregnant women. It was also found to be beneficial in treating various forms of leprosy, or painful viral lesions of the skin. However, within a few years of its release on the market, serious concerns about Thalidomide were raised as babies were being born missing limbs and other severe birth defects. Thalidomide was found to weaken fetal cells and cause an increase in the possibility of defects, so the use of it for this purpose was ended.
Thalidomide as a Treatment for Cancer and Other Medical Conditions
Despite the initial controversy, Thalidomide re-emerged in 1998 approved by the FDA to treat painful forms of cancer called multiple myeloma--more commonly known as blood and cancer (lymphoma and leukemia). Then in 2006, the FDA approved Thalidomide, to be used in tandem with dexamethasone a well-known cancer drug, to treat newly diagnosed cancers of this type. This is because Thalidomide appears to slow the growth of myeloma cancer cells and prevent them from attaching to bone marrow cells or forming new blood vessels to steal lifesaving blood from the healthy cells. This also reduces the chances of this form of cancer of invading the bone marrow and destroying the body's ability to produce fresh blood cells.
Medical science continues to study and find new uses for this drug. For example, Thalidomide has also shown promise in the treatment of tumor necrosis which is the painful inflammation caused when tumor growth begins as a result of other inflammatory conditions like lupus, arthritis or Crohn's disease. It is also sometimes used to reduce and treat mouth and skin sores in HIV patients.
Precautions With Thalidomide
When a patient is prescribed a round of Thalidomide, there are many side effects and precautions that should be considered with this drug. The first precaution, naturally, is to avoid its use in pregnant or in women who could become pregnant. Some common side effects of patients using Thalidomide include blood clots, drowsiness, dizziness or seizures, skin rashes and peripheral neuropathy (tunnel vision). Just as with any cancer treatment medication, the use and dosage of Thalidomide should be carefully supervised by a qualified oncologist and medical team.
Tags: bone marrow, pregnant women, side effects, this drug, treat painful