Preventing Growth of Cancer Cells - Gleevec
It’s summer here and as great as that is it’s also wildfire season and all sorts of good people are working extremely hard to keep the fires in check. ‘Spreading like wildfire’ isn’t a bad thing when that expression is used to describe something growing massively in popularity, but in the literal sense of the term it’s never a good thing. Cancer cells have the ability to multiply very quickly, and so it’s equally bad when they’re spreading like wildfire. Gleevec is an effective cancer slowing medication, but it’s one that you need to be smart about when taking. We’ll look at what to avoid when taking Gleevec.
Any cancer diagnosis is serious and is going to be distressing for the person and their family, but leukemia is definitely one of the worst. Gleevec is a leukemia slowing medication that is extremely valuable in buying time for doctors and other medical professionals to address the cancer through standardized treatment and prevent it from becoming runaway and more untreatable. We won’t get super pharmacological on you, but this cancer inhibitor drug works by disabling some of the building blocks cancer cells need to grow and multiply.
The key is in keeping cancer cells as carcinomas for as long as possible and preventing as many as possible from becoming invasive cells. Considering how extremely motivated these cells are that’s a real challenge unfortunately. You can read more about how quickly cancer spreads, and if you do you’ll quickly come to see why a cancer slowing drug like Gleevec has been so well received by doctors and the medical profession who specialize in treating cancer.
Good vision is important for everyday life, and that will be a good lead into our discussion of what to avoid when taking Gleevec here. Some of them are likely no big deal, but some of the suggestions may really affect your work or socializing arrangements.
Know your Environment
The most important thing to know with what to avoid when taking Gleevec is based around the fact that people who are fighting cancer are likely going to have a very compromised immune system. Not only is it easier to get sick or contract an infection, but there’s more risk if they do. Gleevec is a great drug to improve success rates for cancer treatment if it’s used early enough after detection. Close interaction with people who are sick or have an infection is tops on the list of what to avoid when taking Gleevec.
Purinethol is another good drug to slow cancer growth, and it is often indicated in the same way as Gleevec. Both of them are the standard drug choices for slowing the growth of leukemia and other types of blood cancers. A primary precaution similarity between them is that both of these medications can make users dizzy, so knowing that driving or operating machinery may also be among what to avoid when taking Gleevec or Purinethol. Choosing not to ride a bicycle in high-traffic areas is also recommended during this time.
You should also be more careful not to cut yourself. Easier said than done of course and especially if you work with your hands. Making sure Vitamin B and Vitamin K levels are optimal is very helpful for knowing your blood will clot well if you get a cut. For most people they’ll get that if they take a multivitamin regularly.
Enjoy Fruit – Just Not Grapefruit
There are plenty of medications that specify you should not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice when taking that medication. Add one more to the list here with Gleevec, and one more to our tally of what to avoid when taking Gleevec. If you’re familiar with the CYP3a4 enzyme we’re definitely impressed, but for the average person they’ll need to be made aware of why grapefruit doesn’t mix well with some medications.
Oranges are okay, but if you’re from the UK and have the fondness for marmalade that most do then you may want to be careful there too. Tangelos and the Seville oranges used to make marmalade can have the same detrimental effect and so there’s two more points for what to avoid when taking Gleevec.
Cancer is always a daunting diagnosis, but every year cancer treatments improve and effective medications like Gleevec are a part of that, helping to improve long-term outcomes for cancer patients.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
