Usually, the goal of surgery is to remove all cancer cells and some of the surrounding healthy tissue (a margin). Afterward, a pathologist tests the healthy tissue to ensure no cancer cells remain. The general goal of cancer treatment is to stop or slow the progression of the disease.
Care at Cleveland Clinic
It can also give you a sense of control over your disease. It’s a worrying time for many people and we want to be there for you whenever – and wherever – you need us. Cancer Chat is our fully moderated forum where you can talk to others affected by cancer, share experiences, and get support.
The goal of the primary treatment is to completely remove the cancer from your body or kill all the cancer cells. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the treatment experience is easy. You’ll need to lean on your care team and loved ones more than ever. You’ll need to be patient with yourself as you manage the changes to your everyday life that this diagnosis involves.
- This therapy may be used alongside other treatments, including radiation or surgery.
- Before deciding to move forward with a cancer drug, learn as much as you can about the recommended treatment.
- Sometimes the best option for treating certain cancers are treatments that are still being studied or have not yet been approved by the FDA.
- This may include certain types of breast cancer and prostate cancer.
- In most cases, you’ll get your chemotherapy at an outpatient clinic.
It may help to bring a friend or family member with you to help listen and take notes. The goal of adjuvant therapy is to kill any cancer cells remaining after the primary treatment. A clinical trial is a study that tests the safety and effectiveness of new cancer treatments.
Types of Drugs Used in Cancer Treatment
Your doctor may have recommended a treatment plan, and you might worry about what’s involved and how it will make you feel. Yes, you have a say in your cancer treatment, including making the decision to delay treatment or not have treatment at all. You can also seek a second opinion from another qualified doctor. Learn how hormone therapy treats prostate and breast cancer. This therapy may be used alongside other treatments, including radiation or surgery.
Treatment Types
- This on-again/off-again schedule gives the medicine time to work while allowing your body time to heal.
- You and your healthcare team can weigh the benefits and risks of each cancer treatment to determine the best choice for you.
- Cancer cells develop and multiply because of genetic mutations (changes) in their DNA.
- It works as well as other forms of chemotherapy for some types of cancer, but not all chemo drugs can be taken by mouth.
- Targeted therapy drugs home in on the specific proteins, preventing them from fueling cancer cell growth.
This means you’ll have several treatment days followed by recovery days. This on-again/off-again schedule gives the medicine time to work while allowing your body time to heal. Healthcare providers most often use ablation to shrink tumors. Ask your doctor about their recommendations for medications to help prevent or reduce side effects from your cancer treatment.
Ask your doctor about clinical trials taking place in your area. The National Institutes of Health maintains a large database of clinical trials at clinicaltrials.gov. You get most chemo medications through an injection into a vein. You’ll get medication to block pain during and chicken road after your surgery. You might also get other meds, such as antibiotics to lower the risk of infection.
Cancer treatment includes surgery, radiation, medicines and other therapies. The goal of cancer treatment is to cure or shrink a cancer or stop it from spreading. Talk to your cancer doctor about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and their side effects. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments. Current cancer treatments reflect 250 years of research into the most effective approaches to fighting this disease.
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The drugs are listed in alphabetical order by pharmacy (generic) name and brand name. They include the type and stage of your cancer, your general health and your preferences. You and your healthcare team can weigh the benefits and risks of each cancer treatment to determine the best choice for you. Common adjuvant therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy.
With any cancer treatment, it might take a while before you know how it affects your disease. Stay in touch with your doctor and keep them in the loop about anything that doesn’t feel right. You are the most important part of your cancer care team. During and after your treatment, your healthcare team monitors your results. You may meet with your team regularly to discuss progress. Tell your healthcare team about any treatment side effects or cancer symptoms you have.
It’s also the most effective for sending cancer into remission (no signs or symptoms of cancer). But this depends on whether your surgeon can safely remove the entire tumor. For example, surgery may not be a safe option if a tumor is embedded inside a vital organ or tangled in major blood vessels. And surgery can’t get rid of blood cancers or cancers that have spread. You may receive immunotherapy alone or with other types of treatment. Chemotherapy can sometimes cause long-lasting side effects, like infertility and nerve damage.
Doctors also may do it to diagnose the disease or find out how serious it is. But in general, there are a few types of treatment that work for many different kinds of cancer. Treatment for cancer may include different medicines and procedures. Many people need more than one type of treatment for their cancer.
Risks and side effects of cancer drugs
To learn more about how specific cancers are treated, see the cancer treatment information for adult and childhood cancers. Our list of Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Treatment may help you talk with your doctor and learn more about your treatment options. Find basic information about cancer treatment and learn more about what to expect as a Memorial Sloan Kettering patient or caregiver. You may get this type of treatment if you have cancer cells with certain mutations.
Current cancer treatments are helping people live longer, fuller lives. Treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy, among others. Your healthcare provider will recommend treatments based on your unique diagnosis, including your cancer type, stage and treatment goals. If you have cancer, palliative care can help relieve pain and other symptoms. Palliative care is done by a team of healthcare professionals. This can include doctors, nurses and other specially trained professionals.
Better still, in some cases, the goal of treatment is to eliminate (cure) the cancer. Before deciding to move forward with a cancer drug, learn as much as you can about the recommended treatment. If you’ve recently learned you have cancer, you probably have a lot on your mind.
If you have curable cancer, chemo may even be used to cure it. If your doctor recommends oral chemo, it’s important to take it exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor right away if you can’t keep your medication down because you’re vomiting. When recommending treatment, your doctor will also keep in mind your age and any other health problems you may have.
For example, if you’re having head or neck radiation, you may get a dry mouth. But neoadjuvant therapy is given before the primary treatment. It can make the primary treatment easier or more effective. Drug treatments are often called systemic treatments because they can affect the entire body. It depends on the type of cancer and how far it has spread.