Cancer can be treated.
Cancer treatment aims to remove or destroy all the cancer cells.
There are three ways of doing this:
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
- Radiotherapy
The kind of treatment needed depends on the type and stage of the cancer as well as the age and general health of the patient. Sometimes, more than one kind of treatment can be used.
Certain cancer treatments may cause side effects as they affect the normal cells as well.
Surgery
In surgery, the tumour is removed together with some of the surrounding tissue that may contain invading cells.
It is most effective for cancers that are:
- Small
- Found in only one area of the body
- Located in parts of the body from which they can be easily removed
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medicine to destroy cancer cells by interfering with their ability to grow and multiply
- Different types of medicine are used for different cancers. Some medicines are oral (take by mouth)
- Others work better when injected into the blood vessels
- Chemotherapy works mainly on cancer cells but it also affects normal cells that grow rapidly, like hair cells or cells lining the gut
- As a result, patients receiving chemotherapy may experience side effects such as hair loss, nausea and vomiting. They are also more prone to infections
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells.
This radiation may come in the form of:
- High-dose x-rays which are directed at the tumour
- Some radioactive material that is surgically implanted into the tumour
Radiotherapy may be used:
- Before surgery to reduce the size of a tumour
- After surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells in that area
Side effects include tiredness and skin rashes over the treated area
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