How Do You Know If Your Cancer Treatment Is Working?
There are several indicators that can suggest whether cancer treatment is working:
Tumor size and growth: One direct measure is monitoring changes in tumor size and growth. If treatment effectively targets cancer cells, the tumor size should decrease or remain stable. Conversely, tumor progression or rapid growth may indicate that the current treatment is ineffective.
Tumor markers: Tumor markers are substances released by cancer cells into the blood, urine, or other body fluids. Measuring tumor marker levels can provide insights into the tumor's activity. A decline in tumor marker levels often suggests a positive response to treatment. However, the interpretation of tumor markers should be done in conjunction with other tests.
Imaging tests: Imaging techniques like CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and ultrasound are used to assess tumor response. By comparing images taken before and during treatment, doctors can observe changes in tumor size, location, and structure, which can provide valuable information about the treatment's effectiveness.
Clinical symptoms and overall health: Monitoring changes in clinical symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, bleeding, or other physical signs and symptoms associated with cancer, can also indicate treatment efficacy. If symptoms improve or resolve, it may be an indicator of positive response. However, it is crucial to note that the absence of symptoms does not always imply treatment success.
Time to progression: The time to progression (TTP) or time to next treatment (TTNT) refers to the length of time it takes for the cancer to grow or return after starting a specific treatment. A longer TTP or TTNT generally suggests that the treatment is controlling or delaying cancer progression effectively.
Overall response rate (ORR): ORR is a measure used in clinical trials to assess the proportion of patients who experience a complete response (CR), partial response (PR), or stable disease (SD). A complete response means the tumor has disappeared, a partial response indicates a significant reduction in tumor size, and stable disease means the tumor size has not significantly changed. A high ORR suggests that the treatment is effective in causing tumor shrinkage or stabilization.
It's important to remember that treatment efficacy may vary among individuals and cancer types. Regularly monitoring and assessing treatment response through a combination of these indicators enables doctors to make informed decisions about the continuation, modification, or change of cancer treatment plans.