How is cancer treated?
Cancer is usually treated by surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Sometimes cancer specialists combine these treatments to provide the best patient care. Surgery: the tumor and some surrounding areas of normal tissue are removed during an operation. Radiation therapy: x-rays, gamma rays and other sources of radiation destroy the cancer cells in the area treated. All treatments are given under anesthesia to ensure immobilization and accurate positioning. When the goal of treatment is to cure the patient, radiation therapy is given as a series of doses given 5 days a week over a three to four week period. When there is no hope for cure, radiation therapy is given one to three times a week over three to four weeks to control pain and slow tumor growth. Chemotherapy: medicine is taken by mouth or injected into a patient’s vein or under their skin. It travels through the body and works to destroy or stop the growth of cancer cells wherever they are within the body. Chemotherapy is gi
There are many different ways to treat patients who have cancer. The most common treatments consist of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological response modifiers including hormonal therapy. Tamoxifen used to decrease the risk of developing breast cancer would be an example of hormonal therapy. The use of any or all of these types of treatment depends upon each individual’s type of cancer, the extent of the cancer, and the individual’s general health. The utilization and coordination of such treatment requires special training. Cancer treatment is conducted, therefore, by doctors who have special training such as Surgical Oncologists, Medical Oncologists (Chemotherapists), and Radiation Oncologists. Once a cancer is diagnosed, one or more of these cancer specialists will likely assess the extent of disease and recommend one or more treatment options. Cancer diagnosis and treatment is very complex, and requires thorough “hands-on” involvement by the doctors who will be i
Basically, there are three main modalities of Cancer treatment – Surgery, Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy (Drugs). The treatment of cancer is described as a multimodality approach, as a large number of patients need to be treated with a combination of the approaches available. Thus, some patients may need only one modality of treatment, some need a combination of two modalities and some need to be treated with all three modalities to achieve the best results. To decide the best treatment for a given patient, initial testing is done to make the diagnosis (diagnostic investigations). After the initial treatment plan, the treatment is started. The progress of treatment and response of disease (staging investigations). After the initial treatment plan, the treatment is started. The progress of treatment and response of disease is assessed from time to time. A review of the progress is made in subsequent Tumour Board Meetings to decide whether any change in the treatment plan is required or n
The type of cancer treatment or combination of treatments that a patient has depends on the type and stage of the cancer. The most common types of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Some cancers can be cured if the tumour is detected and surgically removed before the cancer cells spread. Chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs) and radiotherapy (radiation treatment) can also cure cancer, by killing cancer cells or stopping them from multiplying. Often these treatments are most effective when used together. The main goal of treatment is to cure the disease, but if cure is not possible, different treatments may be used to control the cancer. New ways of treating cancer are always being developed and tested. In the future, we can expect to see a new range of ‘designer drugs’ which can block the blood supply that tumours need to grow, correct the genetic defects that lead to cancer and assist the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
Treatment of cancer is a rapidly evolving field as a result of the intensive research work being done in cancer centers all around the world. Basically, three main approaches to treatment of cancer are used: surgery, radiation, and, drugs. Correspondingly, three main types of cancer specialists are there for treating cancer: surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists.
