The Most Commonly Followed Cancer Treatment Modalities

The Most Commonly Followed Cancer Treatment Modalities

Cancer is a formidable disease, which can affect any age group at any point in time. In fact, it is termed to be the second major cause of death in India, with the first being heart disease.

Though a fatal disease, cancer can be beaten if detected early. Oncologist around the globe vouch that early detection and right treatment are the prime factors that contribute to cancer survival rates.

As there are different cancer types, the types of cancer treatment also differ accordingly. Sometimes a patient requires just one treatment modality, whereas in certain cases, a combination of treatments is needed to cure cancer. The treatment module depends on the cancer type and stage.

There are many types of cancer treatment, but the most commonly used ones are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Let us have a look at these commonly used cancer treatments:

Surgery: Among the common types of cancer treatment in Ahmedabad, a surgery is done to remove cancer cells that are concentrated in one area. Surgery happens to be the oldest treatment type and continues to be an effective treatment for all cancer types. In certain advanced cancer stages, surgery stands to be the only option. To determine whether surgery is the required treatment module for cancer treatment, a biopsy is the only diagnostic method. Often surgery is combined with alternative cancer treatments as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Pain and infection are the common side effects of surgery.

Radiation Therapy: This treatment process uses X-rays to damage or destroy the cancer cells in order to prevent them from multiplying. Radiation therapy is mostly used to treat primary or advanced cancer. In some cases, radiation therapy can also be used to diminish cancer cell size as well as alleviate pain, uneasiness or any other symptom that causes discomfort. Radiation therapy targets the cancer cells and is planned to destroy the cancer cells. It is taken care that radiation therapy causes minimal harm to the healthy cells around when targeting the cancer cells. Radiation can be given externally or through implants placed in the body near the cancer cell. The common side effects of a radiation therapy include fatigue, skin changes in treated area and decreased appetite.

Chemotherapy: As an advanced cancer treatment in Ahmedabad, it is a combination of strong drugs, often given orally or by injection, to shrink, or damage the cancer cells. Sometimes chemotherapy is recommended post another cancer treatment like following a surgery. The main aim of chemotherapy post a cancer treatment is to destroy the remaining cancer cells. Chemotherapy is a suitable treatment for most cancer types. In some cases, chemotherapy stands to be the only option. However, in most of the cases, a chemotherapy is often combined with other treatment types to offer the most effective cancer treatment solution.

While targeting the cancer cells, chemotherapy also damages healthy cells thus causing side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, vomiting, mouth sores and fatigue. Hair loss is the common side effect of a chemotherapy, but it’s a temporary thing as the hair often grows back after a certain time frame.

Other treatment types

With the advancement of technology and medical science, many treatment modules have been designed for treating cancer in the past few years. These new cancer treatments include immunotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy and targeted therapy.

A targeted therapy makes use of targeted drugs to stop the formation of blood vessels near the cancer cells. In some cases, targeted therapy can even turn off the signal which instructs the cancer cells to grow.

Then there is hormone therapy which is used to treat cancers that grow with the help of certain hormones. Hormone therapy is also known as endocrine therapy.

Immunotherapy is also a cancer treatment type which works by boosting your body’s immune system or marking the cancer cells that allows your immune system to locate and destroy them. Some immunotherapy types are even known as biotherapy or biologic therapy. It is often combined with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy to treat cancer.

All these cancer treatments have proved highly effective in treating cancer. An oncologist will suggest the most suitable treatment considering the cancer type, its location, and intensity.

Shalby Hospitals - Cancer & Research department brings to you the most advanced cancer treatment in Ahmedabad. Our team of trained oncologists and experienced oncosurgeons are dedicated to providing efficient medical and surgical care for oncology treatment for all types of cancers.

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