Treatment options

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation are the three main types of cancer treatment. Any of these, alone or in combination, may be the best treatment. Some chemotherapy and radiation can only be done once. Therapy can either help control the cancer or cure the cancer. It’s important to know the difference.

Chemotherapy

Chemo works to kill cancer cells. The drugs are given intravenously (IV or into a vein) or taken in pill form. These drugs travel throughout the body via the bloodstream. They can reach cancer cells that may have migrated away from the tumor.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials are studies that try to answer scientific questions and to prevent, diagnose or treat cancer. Clinical trials help determine whether new treatments are safe and effective or work better than current treatments. If you or a loved one is interested, talk to your doctor. Clinical trials are an option for all stages of cancer. All clinical trials are voluntary.

Hormone therapy

This is sometimes used to treat certain kinds of prostate and breast cancers.

Immunotherapy

These treatments use the immune system to fight cancer. Some boost the immune

system in a general way, while others help your body attack cancer cells.

Radiation therapy

This treatment uses high-energy rays to kill or shrink cancer cells. The radiation may come from outside the body or from radioactive materials placed right into the tumor (internal or implant radiation). External radiation is much like getting an X-ray. It does not physically hurt, but may cause side effects.

Surgery

This is not always the first treatment for removing cancer from the body. Sometimes only part of the cancer may be removed. Your cancer care team will work together with you to personalize the treatment regimen that best suits your diagnosis. Radiation or chemotherapy might be used to shrink the cancer before or after surgery.

Targeted therapy

This type of therapy works directly on your cancer’s genes/proteins to block it from spreading.