What is cancer treatment?

An uncontrolled increase in the mass of abnormal cells in the body is called cancer. Cancer treatment is the use of surgery, radiation, drugs, and other treatments to treat cancer. This treatment can cure cancer by destroying tumor cells and preventing the progression of cancer. Depending on the advanced stage of cancer and the location where cancer cells present, the treatment option may vary and can use a single or combination of treatments.

How cancer treatment can be used?

Cancer treatments can be used as follows:

• Primary treatment: For most of the common types of cancer, the primary treatment is surgery. The goal of primary treatment is to remove the cancer cells or to completely destroy cancer cells from the body.
• Adjuvant treatment: Radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy are some of the common adjuvant therapies. The aim of this therapy is to decrease the chance of recurrence of cancer by killing any of the cancer cells that may remain after primary treatment.
• Palliative treatment: To reduce the signs and symptoms of cancer or side effects of treatment palliative treatments can be helpful. Surgery, medications, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy are used to relieve symptoms.

What are the different types of cancer treatment?

There are several types of cancer treatments and based on the type and severity of cancer, appropriate treatment will be given. Following are a few of the treatments that can be used alone or with the combination:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy
• Hormone therapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Precision medicine
• Radiofrequency ablation
• Cryoablation

Who can perform cancer treatments?

Cancer treatments can be performed by experienced and qualified Oncologists. They diagnose and treat patients suffering from any type of cancer. 

What are the advantages of cancer treatment?

Following are few of the advantages of cancer treatment:

• Improves patient's quality of life
• Increases life expectancy of an individual
• Cure or treat the cancer
• Decrease or prevent cancer spread to surrounding healthy cells
• Prevents the chances of reoccurrence for cancer
• Decreases the growth of tumor cells

What are the complications associated with cancer treatment?

Following are a few of the complications related to cancer treatment:

• Appetite loss
• Anemia
• Hair loss [Alopecia]
• Infection and swelling
• Bleeding and bruising
• Constipation
• Severe tiredness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Disturbed sleep
• Hearing impairment
• Urinary and bladder problems
• Nerve problems
• Mental health problems
• Organ related inflammation
• Lymphedema

What are the risk factors for cancer?

Different type of cancers has various risk factors and some of them are:

• Hereditary factors
• Chronic inflammation
• Immunosuppression
• Radiation exposure
• Tobacco use
• Alcohol use
• Sun exposure
• Environmental exposure such as lead, radon, and asbestos
• Exposure to infections such as HIV, HPV, and hepatitis