Cancer Treatment

    Since the beginnings of chemotherapy, treatment for most forms of cancer has been drastically improved in both the medications used and dosages. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy have both become much less terrifying and the effects are not as devastating as they used to be. Many cancers have even gotten more press due to the progress in treatments, cancer of the breast and prostate cancer being two such forms. Let's look at each of the most common therapies to see what it does for the patient.

Surgery

While it is easy to think of surgery as just removing a tumor, it's not that simple. These days if you have a significant chance of coming down with cancer in a particular organ, doctors can remove the organ and prevent the cancer from forming. This proactive approach has saved many lives.

Although surgery is still the best cancer treatment available, it is no longer a matter of just "going under the knife." Doctors can remove a tumor using a laser, electricity, laparoscope, or even liquid nitrogen. These methods have enabled them to pin down the tumor and surrounding tissues that may be affected without destroying large parts of organs or tissues.

Of course, all surgery has risks. There is infection, bleeding, organ damage, pain and/or blood clots. A good doctor will go over all these aspects of surgery with a patient and be ready for any or all of the above.

Chemotherapy

Another popular cancer treatment is chemotherapy. However, it is not always the invasive therapy it once was, and some people go through months of it without any ill effects. However, others have minor side effects and a few still have severe reactions--the reason it does this is because it often kills healthy cells while attempting to kill the cancer cells.

The type, dose and frequency will determine most of a patient's reaction to chemotherapy. There are many ways to take chemotherapy, from an I.V. and injection into a body cavity to pills and ointments. A doctor may choose chemo as an additional measure to radiation and/or surgery to ensure better success.

Radiation Therapy

This form of cancer treatment is very common. It involves using radioactive materials or rays similar to x-rays to kill the cancer cells. With external radiation, a beam is aimed at the cancer to kill it. Internal radiation can be given by an injection or a small device called a pellet.

The advantage of radiation is that there is no pain for the patient, but there are often side effects. Like chemotherapy, radiation can cause nausea and hair loss, as well as effect the teeth. It can also weaken an immune system. However, tiredness is the most commonly reported side effect of radiation.

These are the three main types of treatment for cancer, although a doctor may order other medications or therapies to back these three up or treat side effects. Remember that although many people report getting results with alternative medicine, they likely do not tell the whole story--alternative medicine does not cure cancer, and patients should talk with their oncologists before adding such therapies to their cancer routine.

If you are beginning cancer treatment, make sure you understand everything your doctor tells you. Ask questions; a good doctor will understand and will not mind answering.