According to the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO), cancer treatments have become more specialized. It now requires a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists for standard treatment. The team is usually led by a medical oncologist who coordinates the various treatment inputs. This usually takes place in a hospital.
The diverse treatment options are selected based on the type of cancer, extent of spread, the state of health of the patient and the patient's wishes.
Surgery
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), surgery is the oldest form of cancer treatment. Surgery can be done as a preventive measure to stop the development or spread of cancer, where there is yet to be cancer. The ACS cites the removal of precancerous polyps to prevent cancer of the colon and removal of one or both breasts to prevent the development of cancer, particularly in those with a strong family history of breast cancer.
Surgery can be used in actual diagnosis and staging of cancer. According to the ACS, the type and extent of spread of a cancer may be determined by surgery and biopsy.
When the tumor is localized, surgical removal may be curative. Sometimes, in cases with large or extensive tumors, surgery is done to reduce the bulk of the tumor so that radiation therapy or chemotherapy can be used to complete the treatment, as in cancer of the ovaries.
Surgery can also be palliative or supportive, to relieve discomfort and improve the quality of life in those with advanced cancer and no hope of a cure. A blocked tube may be surgically bypassed or opened to reduce pain.
According to the ACS, different types of specialized surgery available in hospitals are laser surgery, cryosurgery, electrosurgery, Mohs surgery, stereotactic surgery, endoscopic surgery and thoracoscopic surgery.
Radiation Therapy
The amount of expertise and technology involved makes radiation therapy solely hospital-based. High-powered radiation is used to kill the cancer cells or stop their growth. Radiation therapy can be adjuvant, used after and in addition to surgery, or neoadjuvant, used before surgery.
External radiation involves the use of sources of radiation placed outside the body. According to the ASCO, internal radiation or brachytherapy involves the use of implants to place the source of radiation inside the body, close to the cancer.
Radiation therapy may also be used to relieve pain in terminal cancer cases and improve the quality of life of the dying patient. It's usually organized in a schedule of courses of treatment, based on the type of cancer and type of radiation therapy.
Drug Therapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing and spreading. The drugs may be in the form of pills or infusions. The ASCO says chemotherapy is usually received in the doctor's office or in the hospital. Those given by infusions require a health care provider to administer them. Chemotherapy may also be given locally, such as injecting drugs into the bladder in bladder cancer.
Targeted therapy uses drugs aimed at specific structures or functions of cancers. They are usually given by infusions and require hospital visits. These drugs, according to the ACS, include angiogenesis inhibitors, enzyme inhibitors and apoptosis inducers.
Immunotherapy involves the use of immune boosters and components of the immune system to increase the body's response to cancer cells. Approved forms of immunotherapy--namely interferons, interleukins and monoclonal antibodies--are all injectible forms and require hospital visits.
Other Treatments
The ASCO says bone marrow and stem cell transplant is another form of treatment of cancer. The goal is to wipe out traces of cancer in the bone marrows as seen in the leukemias. Other hospital-based treatments mentioned by the ACS are photodynamic therapy, hormone therapy and hyperthermia or heat therapy.
