Treatments For Cancer
There
are different proven methods for the treatment
of cancer. Every type of cancer is treated with
different method. The most common and effective
types of treatments for cancer are mentioned below
Surgery
Surgery is considered as the oldest effective
method for the treatment of cancer. With the help
of surgery, the diagnosis and extent of cancer
has become possible because it not only diagnoses
the cancer but it also tells the extent of it.
As new researches are being made
in the field of medical sciences in general and
in surgery in particular, new techniques have
evolved that provide surgeons the best types of
surgery used for a particular case. Tumors are
removed nowadays through less invasive operations
and in such operations, normal functions are preserved
as much as possible.
With the help of surgery, it becomes
possible for surgeons to stop the spreading of
cancer by the removal of the organ in which the
cancer cells are being divided.
There are many reasons
to choose surgery as a cancer treatment. They are described below
Body tissues are removed by preventive surgery
that is also known as prophylactic surgery. In
this type, the tissue, where the chances to occur
cancer are the most, is cut off the body as a
safety measure. Suppose polyps are found in colon
so it is advised that surgery be used to remove
them because such polyps can become cancerous.
A sample of tissue is taken in Diagnostic
surgery. This sample of tissue is taken from the
organ where the symptoms of cancer are found.
The shape of the cells of those tissues can be
observed under the microscope and its diagnosis
as cancerous can be confirmed just by viewing
it under the microscope because the shape of cells
changes if cancer is there.
There are many other surgery types
such as staging surgery, curative surgery, debulking
surgery also known as cytoreductive surgery, palliative
surgery, supportive surgery and restorative surgery.
Biopsy is a method that is used for
the removal of a tissue sample in order to diagnose
the cancer. There are different types of biopsies.
Some of them require surgery for the removal of
sample tissue but there are other types of biopsy
in which surgery is not done and a tissue sample
is taken with the help of a thin needle known
as endoscope.
Laser surgery is used for the cutting
of tissues or for the vaporization of cancers
of different types such as the cancers of larynx,
rectum, cervix, liver or skin.
Radiation Therapy
Radiations have been considered as a treatment
method since the discovery of x-rays. With the
advancement in technology, scientists have come
to understand the benefits and effects of x-rays
if they are used as a treatment method for cancer.
And it can be said the radiation therapy has become
the most important treatment method among many
other effective methods.
There are various uses of radiation
therapy in the treatment of cancer such as it
can be used in early stages of cancer for controlling
or curing the cancer, it can shrink the size of
the tumor so it can be used before surgery, and
it can be used after surgery in order to make
sure that the cancer cells do not produce again.
The most widely used type of treating
cancer through radiation therapy is external beam
radiation. In this method, the patient is given
radiations just the same method as getting an
x-ray but this method requires the exposure of
radiations for a longer time.
There are different responses of
different tissues towards radiation therapy. Some
side effects of radiation therapy can be obtained
when the normal tissues that are dividing more
quickly get radiations too.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a method in which drugs or medicines
are used for the treatment of cancer. These drugs
can be taken before or after surgery, they can
be taken before or after the radiation therapy
or they can be taken alone. Chemotherapy has been
in use for the treatment of cancer since 1950s.
The drugs given in chemotherapy have been tested
again and again. As there are many highly effective
drugs, it is found that many people with cancer
live their lives with full happiness due to the
proper use of chemotherapy.
With the passage of time, the scientists
are trying to make such drugs that will be more
effective with fewer side effects. There are different
patterns of using drugs in chemotherapy. Some
are taken daily, once a week or once a month.
It depends upon the type of drug as well as the
type of cancer being treated. |
