Cancer treatments encompass a range of therapies aimed at controlling, reducing, or eliminating cancer cells to prevent the disease from spreading or recurring.
- Surgery: Involves physically removing cancerous tissue from the body. Surgery can be used for diagnosis, treatment, or prevention, and is often employed in combination with other therapies.
- Radiation Therapy: Uses high-energy radiation to target and destroy cancer cells. It can be applied externally or internally (brachytherapy), and is often used to shrink tumors or prevent recurrence after surgery.
- Chemotherapy: Involves the use of drugs to kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is systemic, affecting cells throughout the body, and is often used in conjunction with other treatments to manage cancer.
- Immunotherapy: Stimulates the body's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. This approach can involve checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, or other techniques to boost the immune response against cancer.
- Targeted Therapy: Utilizes drugs designed to specifically target certain molecules or pathways involved in cancer growth. These therapies are often more selective than chemotherapy, potentially resulting in fewer side effects.
- Hormone Therapy: Used to treat cancers that are hormone-sensitive, such as some breast and prostate cancers. Hormone therapy aims to block or alter the body's hormone production to slow cancer growth.
- Stem Cell Transplant: Involves replacing damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells. This treatment is often used for blood-related cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, allowing the body to produce healthy blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation.
- Clinical Trials: Research studies that test new treatments, therapies, or combinations thereof. Clinical trials are an essential part of advancing cancer treatment and may offer patients access to innovative therapies.
Cancer treatments are typically tailored to each individual's specific type of cancer, stage of the disease, overall health, and other factors. A multidisciplinary approach is often employed, combining various treatments to optimize outcomes and improve quality of life for cancer patients.