| Popis: |
In the past thirty years there have been relatively modest improvements in overall survival for the majority of cancer patients with the common types of epithelial malignancy. Patients with some of the rarer types of malignant disease — childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma and germ cell tumours — now have a greatly improved prognosis. Progress in these areas has largely been the result of slow and painstaking accumulation of data through successive clinical trials rather than from the dramatic discovery of new drugs or other treatments. Indeed, during this period there have been relatively few new cytotoxic drugs. Progress has also been made in defining the role of various surgical procedures. Many patients with breast cancer now have conservative surgery rather than more radical procedures without prejudice to their outcome (Park et al., 2000; Ogawa et al., 2000). |
