After a cancer diagnosis, you’ll likely start hearing about the many treatments available that can cure a cancer, shrink a tumor, stop the progression or relieve symptoms. And fortunately, even more are being studied for future use.
Understanding all the various types of cancer treatments helps you make informed decisions about your healthcare.
Cancer treatments might be local, such as surgery or radiation, and treat just a specific tumor or area of the body. Other treatments using drugs, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy, are often called systemic treatments because they can affect the entire body. Your provider may recommend one or a combination of these to treat your disease and have the best possible outcome.
“When deciding on a cancer treatment, several factors should be considered, including your type and stage of cancer, the treatment’s potential side effects, your overall health and preferences,” says Jenn Lemon, RN, Geisinger’s registered nurse manager in hematology-oncology. “Having an open and honest discussion with your care team is essential to weigh the risks and benefits of each cancer treatment and determine which is right for you.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common and effective treatments for various types of cancer. Medicine moves through your bloodstream to target cancer cells, kill them or prevent them from growing and dividing to cure your cancer, stop the spread or shrink tumors. Even if chemotherapy can’t cure your cancer, it can help you feel better, improve your quality of life and help you live longer.
The type of cancer you have, where it’s located and whether it’s spread will help your provider make some decisions about treatment. These factors affect the dose, how the medication is given (by mouth, by an injection or intravenously) and how often and how long you’ll receive chemo treatment.
“While chemotherapy kills cancer cells, it also affects normal cells that divide quickly, such as those in the bone marrow, digestive tract and hair follicles,” explains Ms. Lemon. “Damage to these healthy cells can lead to unwanted side effects like hair loss, nausea and fatigue. Fortunately, they often get better or go away once you’ve completed chemotherapy.”
Targeted therapy
Targeted therapy is a type of chemotherapy that also uses medication, but it specifically targets cancer cells and minimizes damage to healthy cells.
This therapy works by affecting proteins that control how cancer cells grow, divide and spread. The drugs can be given orally or intravenously, and may block messages that make cancer cells grow and stop them from spreading. Or sometimes they kill cancer cells directly.
Targeted therapy is a more precise, effective treatment than other chemotherapy. However, not all cancers respond to targeted therapy, and its use depends on the specific characteristics of the cancer.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a common and effective treatment option for various types of cancer. High doses of radiation target and destroy cancer cells or shrink tumors, and treat uncomfortable symptoms.
During radiation, a machine emits high-energy radiation beams, such as X-rays or protons, directed toward the tumor or affected area. These beams damage cancer cells’ DNA, which keeps them from growing and dividing. Eventually, the damaged cells die, reducing the size of the tumor or eliminating it altogether over several days or weeks.
Another type of radiation is delivered internally using liquid or capsules containing radioactive substances that seek out and kill cancer cells.
“Unlike chemotherapy that exposes the entire body, radiation is a local treatment,” says Ms. Lemon. “Its precision in targeting the affected area minimizes damage to healthy surrounding tissues, so you may have fewer side effects than systemic approaches.”
Hormone therapy
Hormone therapy slows or stops the growth of cancers that require hormones like estrogen and testosterone to grow, such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancers.
This therapy uses medication to do one of three things:
- Block hormone production
- Prevent hormones from reaching cancer cells
- Alter hormones so they don’t work as they should
It also can involve surgery or radiation to remove or destroy the hormone-producing glands, such as ovaries or testes.
Because hormone therapy interferes with how the body’s hormones behave, it often comes with unwanted side effects, including hot flashes, decreased sex drive, weakened bones and tender breasts. Side effects differ for men and women.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a revolutionary treatment that harnesses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, immunotherapy boosts the body’s natural defenses to recognize and attack cancer cells to stop or slow growth.
Your immune system identifies and eliminates foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. However, cancer cells often evade detection because they can start as normal, healthy cells.
Using intravenous drugs that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells, immunotherapy can overcome their sneaky ability to go undetected. Another method takes a patient’s own cells from their blood and mixes them with a substance in a lab to teach their body to recognize and attack cancer cells. These “smart” cells are then injected back into the patient to treat the cancer.
“Immunotherapy can be particularly effective for certain types of cancer, such as melanoma and lung cancer,” says Ms. Lemon. “But in most cases, immunotherapy works best when used with other cancer treatments.”
Stem cell therapy
This cutting-edge approach uses stem cellsto replace or repair damaged cells caused by cancer or treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation.
Stem cells are immature blood cells that make:
- Red blood cells, which carry oxygen
- White blood cells, which fight infection
- Platelets, which repair damaged blood vessels
Stem cells can come from bone marrow, the bloodstream or umbilical cord blood.
First, healthy stem cells are harvested from the patient or a donor. Then they’re introduced into the patient’s bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, the transplanted stem cells travel to bone marrow. There, they replace damaged cells and will mature into blood cells that function normally and reproduce cells free from cancer.
“If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, take comfort in knowing that advancements in cancer treatment are increasing prevention and survival rates while offering hope to more and more patients,” says Ms. Lemon.
Next steps:
Learn about cancer care at Geisinger
What is chemo-induced neuropathy?
See how an oncology pharmacistcan aid in your care
