What is ondansetron oral disintegrating tablet, and how does it work (mechanism of action)? Ondansetron is an anti-nausea medication most often used to prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy agents increase secretion of serotonin which stimulates serotonin (5-HT3) receptors in the brain, causing nausea and vomiting. Ondansetron works by selectively blocking serotonin (5-HT3)...
What is cyclophosphamide? How does it work (mechanism of action)? Cyclophosphamide is a drug that is used primarily for treating several types of cancer. In order to work, cyclophosphamide first is converted by the liver into two chemicals, acrolein and phosphoramide. Acrolein and phosphoramide are the active compounds, and they slow the growth of cancer...
What is rituximab? How does it work (mechanism of action)? Rituximab is an intravenous drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It belongs to a class of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. Other monoclonal antibodies include trastuzumab (Herceptin) and gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg). Tumor cells (like most normal cells) have receptors on...
Breast cancer prevention facts As is the case for most cancers, the exact cause of breast cancer is not clearly known. Furthermore, there is currently no cure for advanced disease, and there is no definitive way of preventing it. Breast cancer affects men and women. Male breast cancer accounts for about 1% of all breast...
Tumor grade facts* *Tumor grade facts medical author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD Tumor grade is a classification system based on the appearance of tumor cells under the microscope. Cancer cells that are described as low-grade (grade 1) have an appearance similar to normal cells. High-grade (grade 3) cancer cells appear distinctly abnormal under the microscope....
Penis cancer facts* *Penis cancer facts by John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP Penis cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the penis. Penile cancer is usually found on the glans or foreskin of the penis but can also occur on the shaft of the penis. Almost all penile...
Testicular cancer facts* *Testicular cancer facts medical author: Charles P. Davis, MD, PhD Testicular cancer is a disease when testicular cells become abnormal (malignant) in one or both testicles. It is the most common cancer in 20- to 35-year-old men and has two main types, seminomas and nonseminomas. The exact cause of testicular cancer is...
Head and neck cancer facts* *Head and neck cancer facts by John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP Cancers of the head and neck are identified by the area in which they begin: the oral cavity, salivary glands, paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx (voicebox), and lymph nodes in the neck. Cancers of the brain, eye,...
What is proton beam therapy and for what is it used? Proton beam therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses protons instead of X-rays (photons) and can be used for the treatment of various solid tumors, including liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma or HCC). Protons are positively charged particles that, produced with high energy,...
Paget disease of the breast facts* *Paget disease of the breast facts medically reviewed by Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, on 1/21/2015 Paget disease of the breast is a form of breast cancer that affects the skin of the nipple. The cause of Paget disease of the breast is poorly understood, but it may be related...