Treatment
The three primary treatments for cancer are:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy and/or
- Chemotherapy
In some cases hormone therapy or a biological therapy may be used. The type of treatment recommended will depend on a range of factors including the location of the cancer, the type of cancer, the grade and stage of the disease and the patient's age and general health. In some cases a combination of treatment methods may be used.
Surgery
Surgery to remove the primary tumor and surrounding tissue is necessary in the treatment of most tumors. The aim of surgery is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Any remaining cells can be treated using radiation and/or chemotherapy. How much surgery is done depends on how far the cancer has spread and on the patient's general health.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is treatment with high level radiation to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. The radiation may come from outside the body (external radiation) or from radioactive materials placed directly in or near the tumor (internal radiation or brachytherapy).
Both tumor cells and healthy cells may be affected by radiation. The radiation injures the cancer cells so they can no longer continue to divide or multiply. With each treatment, more of the cells die and the tumor shrinks. The dead cells are broken down, carried away by the blood and excreted by the body. Most of the healthy cells are able to recover from this injury.
The dose of radiation is determined by the size, extent, type and grade of tumor along with its response to radiation therapy. Often, the treatment is given over several different angles in order to deliver the maximum amount of radiation to the tumor and the minimum amount to normal tissues.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy refers to the use of chemicals (natural or synthetic) to destroy infective organisms or cancer cells. Chemotherapy with cytotoxic drugs is the main method of treatment for only a few cancers but it is increasingly used as an adjunct to surgery or radiation.
Cancer care often involves a collaboration of specialists, including medical oncologists (specialising in cancer treatment), surgical oncologists (surgeons specialising in surgically removing cancers), a radiation oncologist (specialising in radiation therapy).
