There are various kinds of treatments for different kinds of cancers, but the most common treatments are still surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, as they have been for decades. New types of treatment are being used more and more, but these three modes of treatment are the most prevalent, no matter what kind of cancer is being treated. Sometimes only one of these types is used, and other times, depending on the type and stage of the cancer, numerous modes of treatment are used.
Surgery
According to the American Cancer Society, surgery is the oldest form of cancer treatment and is used in both diagnosis and treatment. Surgery as a cancer treatment can be curative if the tumor is only in one place and there is a low likelihood of cancer anywhere else. It can be used as a debulking tool, which means the surgery is able to get most of the tumor or a large part of the tumor out of the body. It can also be used palliatively, which means the surgery does not aim to cure the cancer but to address problems and symptoms caused by advanced cancer and help the patient be more comfortable.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation uses rays like X-rays to kill cancer cells and damage the DNA in cancer cells to keep them from replicating. It can be administered in several ways, depending on the cancer being treated, the stage and individual circumstances. External-beam radiation is the most common kind, and this is when radiation is aimed toward the body from a machine. Large areas can be treated at once with this kind of radiation. Internal radiation, or brachytherapy, involves placing containers storing radioactive material in the body near the cancer. The radioactive material can be little pellets, seeds or wires. Brachytherapy treats a small area of the body with high-intensity radiation.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) uses drugs to kill cancer cells and has been used to treat cancer since the 1950s, according to the American Cancer Society. Different drugs are used to treat different kinds of cancers. In most cases, two or more chemotherapy drugs are used--this is called combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is typically administered intravenously, orally, subcutaneously (under the skin), or intraperitoneally (through a catheter in the belly). Depending on the drug regimen and the type of cancer being treated, you may have chemotherapy once a week, once a month or even once a day. Before starting chemotherapy, your doctor will explain the dosing regimen to you.
