Rare Cancers: The Challenges of Diagnosis and Treatment

After the word cancer has been mentioned, the only types of cancers that the majority of people will think about are those of the breast, lungs, and prostate, as they are the most talked about, commonly found, and known by everyone. There are, however, some less-known types of cancers that receive little discussion and are not recognized called “rare cancers”. Being rare means these types of cancers are hard to diagnose, difficult to treat, and tough to manage. Although rare cancer affects fewer people, altogether worldwide they make a large percentage. 

What are rare cancers?

Rare cancers are those that have an incidence of less than 6 cases per 100,000 people per year. Such as rare pancreatic cancer, some types of myeloma, and rare lung cancers. Unlike breast cancer, colorectal cancers, or prostate cancer, where normal screenings and a high level of public awareness are beneficial, rare cancers usually are not detected until they are at an advanced stage. In brief, it is more complicated to find rare cancers in their early stages. Frailness, weight loss, or slight pain are some symptoms that are often misunderstood as signs of a more common illness. Consequently, diagnosis can be postponed, and treatment can be more difficult.

The Struggle of Getting a Diagnosis

Patients who are suffering from rare cancers usually have to experience a lengthy journey when trying to get a diagnosis. They could have been to different doctors before one of them could give a confirmation of the disease. In some instances, there may be no routine measures for screening.

To illustrate, the symptoms do not occur in early pancreatic cancer. Hence, the disease is usually found in the advanced stages. In comparison to colorectal cancer, in which early signs can be detected by colonoscopy, there is no effective early screening method for pancreatic cancer.

At the same time, myeloma, which is a type of blood cancer, is often wrongly diagnosed as a bone or joint disturbance and consequently diagnosed late.

Treatment Challenges

It is so that the process of treatment after the diagnosis can also be filled with difficulties. The problem here is that commonly used treatments (such as chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation) may not have good efficacy on rare cancers, and there may not be many clinical trials or approved drugs available. Yet, a silver lining exists.

New Therapies Bringing New Hope

Modern medicine is moving at a rapid pace to catch up as the development of treatments for rare cancers is becoming a higher priority for researchers and the pharmaceutical companies. Innovations like Abemaciclib and Pembrolizumab play a significant role in the change of the cancer hierarchy.

The purpose of Abemaciclib as a breast cancer medicine was its starting point. This medicine destroys the proteins that cancer cells use to grow and basically stops their growth. Whereas Pembrolizumab helps to fight cancer cells. This drug has already been used to treat different types of cancers, such as advanced melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and breast cancer.

Comparing common and rare cancers

To put things in perspective, it is not hard to see that cancers such as prostate or breast cancer have a few upsides. They are often caught and managed early due to the existence of awareness campaigns, early detection tools, and a wide range of treatment possibilities. However, this much of medical facilities can’t guarantee the life of a patient. For example, it is observed that the life expectancy of a stage 4 lung cancer patient depends on various factors and the quality of the hospital.

On the other hand, rare cancers do not have such amenities. Most of the time, people are totally unaware of the existence of cancer or may only find out when someone close to them is diagnosed with it. Due to this, many patients with rare cancers often feel lonely, ignored, or powerless.

The Importance of Screening and Early Detection

Timely health checkups and the ability to recognize the signs in your body can considerably improve your life. Indeed, not all rare cancers come with early detection methods, yet a few have. Colonoscopy is a good example to illustrate this; such a procedure can reveal initial signs of colon cancer, which might be a rare subtype sometimes.

If people committed more to routine tests and screenings, not only the common cancers be discovered early, but also the uncommon ones that would not be found otherwise would be revealed.

Dealing with side effects

In case you have a rare cancer or any other type of cancer, the treatment is going to give you side effects in both scenarios. Thus, it applies strongly to newly developed medicines.
It is essential that patients who experience side effects have a healthcare team and relatives who provide support for them to manage their discomfort and change their treatment plans if necessary.

Here is the list of some common side effects:

• Hair Loss
• Skin changes
• Fertility issues in both males and females
• Memory or Concentration problem
• Weight changes and malnutrition
• Blood clots (deep vein thrombosis)
• Low white blood cell counts

Looking Forward To a Better Future for Rare Cancers

What’s really positive? The awareness around cancer is at its peak as more researchers are turning their attention to rare cancers, more drugs are being endorsed, and the number of people sharing their experiences is growing.

Personalized medicine and technology are not far behind, as they are rapidly breaking barriers. Doctors are able to cure rare cancers more effectively when they utilize the data-driven approach, use of genetic testing, and target therapies — even before symptoms appear.

Conclusion

It is true that rare cancers do not get as much coverage as breast cancer, prostate cancer, or lung cancer, but it does not mean they are less important. Every human being has the right to be diagnosed early, to receive effective treatment, and to have a fighting chance against the disease — regardless of how rare their cancer is.