What's the Difference between Cancer Treatment Methods?

Most instances of cancer are treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, or a combination of the three. For example, your doctor may use chemotherapy or radiation to shrink a tumor before trying to remove it surgically. There are many factors that influence which treatments you'll receive at a cancer treatment institute in Fairhope, AL. Some cancers respond better to certain treatments, and other factors like your health and medical history can also affect your course of treatment. Here’s what you need to know about each type of treatment.

Surgery

Many doctors recommend the use of surgery to remove a tumor whenever possible, especially if it’s caught early on and hasn’t spread throughout the body. If the entire tumor can be removed successfully, it’s the easiest way to get rid of the cancer as quickly as possible with the fewest long-term side effects.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves taking certain medications that are designed to kill cancer cells. These medications may be in the form of pills that you swallow or an injection you receive at the doctor’s office. While chemotherapy is effective at killing cancer cells--even those that have spread to other areas of your body--it can have severe side effects. The most common side effects are nausea, fatigue, and hair loss. Chemotherapy also weakens your immune system, putting you more at risk from infection and disease.

Radiation

A radiation treatment is usually similar to having an x-ray. Energy is directed at the tumor in your body, causing damage to the cancer cells to prevent them from spreading. In some cases, you may instead receive internal radiation as a solid or liquid put into your body with an implant or IV. Radiation cannot specifically target the cancer cells, so the damage to healthy cells can cause side effects like hair loss and nausea. Doctors at your cancer treatment institute in Fairhope, AL, will use the lowest level of radiation possible to try to keep these side effects to a minimum.