Advanced Systemic Mastocytosis
What is Advabced Systemic Mastocytosis?
A disease of the mast cells that can be found in the skin, internal organs (liver, spleen, GI tract, lymph nodes), and bone marrow. Mast cells can release various chemicals into the body that can produce symptoms of a serious allergic reaction. When these substances cause organ damage, these types of symptoms are known as “C findings,” and include low blood cell counts such as anemia (low red blood cells) or thrombocytopenia (low platelets), liver problems, weight loss, swelling in abdomen, and bone lesions.
Systemic Mastocytosis is a very rare condition that is most commonly caused by a mutation in a protein called “KIT” that causes mast cells to grow and divide. There are various subtypes of mastocytosis, which can vary at diagnosis and throughout treatment.
NOTE: Treatment Options listed below are not all-inclusive. Other treatments may be available. ChemoExperts provides drug information and does not recommend any one treatment over another. Only your Doctor can choose which therapy is appropriate for you.
Notice to user: The term chemotherapy, later shortened to “chemo”, originated in the early 1900s from Nobel Prize winning German physician and chemist, Dr. Paul Erlich. Dr. Erlich defined chemotherapy to mean “the use of chemicals as a therapy to treat disease.” (Source). Many years later, the term became synonymous with the use of chemicals to treat cancer specifically. Because early cancer therapies became quickly known for their severe side effect profile, the term chemotherapy took on a negative connotation. If we fast forward several decades, the anti-cancer therapies used today have become refined, and for many diseases, treatment can be safely taken in the comfort of your own home.
As chemotherapy has become particularly targeted, certain side effects have lessened, while new side effects have emerged. However, the premise behind therapy, that is using a chemical to kill cancer, has not changed. Therefore, the clinicians who created ChemoExperts.com believe the term “chemotherapy” still very much applies to all anti-cancer medications, but importantly, can no longer suggest what, if any, side effects a patient is likely to experience. For this to become clear, education regarding each individual drug, as well as information derived from the use of combination therapy (multiple chemo medications) is required. As a result, we have structured our website to make it easier for users to learn about cancer treatment and hope that if you are taking or receiving chemotherapy, that ChemoExperts.com is able to provide you with the tools needed to make the journey a little easier and life more rewarding.
Treatment Options
Created: May 1, 2017
Updated: August 25, 2021
