Other treatments for Cancer

Surgery-

If you have a cancer that is completely contained in one area and has not spread, surgery may cure it. It can be possible to safely remove the tumor and any surrounding affected tissue in such cases.

Surgery can be successful in treating-
1. Forms of malignant tumor
2. Localised tumor (tumor is in one place).

Surgery may not be possible when-
- the cancer spreads to other areas of the body
- difficult to remove tumor without damaging vital organs, such as the liver or brain.
- if you have a cancer of the lymphatic system (lymphoma) or blood system (leukaemia) as the cancer cells can be anywhere in your body.

Hence surgery treatments totally depend on whether the cancer can be completely removed and a border of healthy tissue, free of cancer cells, is removed with the cancer.

Micrometastases - Sometimes, cancer cells have already broken away from the primary cancer and travelled to another part of the body. These secondary cancers may just be too small to see and are called micrometastases.

Adjuvant Treatment-To ensure destruction of these broken secondary cells, you may be advised to undergo radiotherapy or chemotherapy after your surgery known as adjuvant treatment. Radiotherapy or chemotherapy can also be given before the surgery to shrink the size of the cancer so that it becomes easier to remove. This is termed as neo-adjuvant treatment.

Common problems after cancer surgery include nerve pain, chest and local infections, pain,blood clots and fluid collection around the wound. Antibiotics and pain killers may be prescribed by your doctor.

Lymphoedema-This is not a common after cancer surgery problem and arises in areas where the lymph nodes have been removed. Symptoms usually are swollen hands or feet after the surgery. If ignored for a long span of time this becomes un curable.

Radiotherapy-

This is the process of the use of radiation (a special kind of x-ray, gamma rays or electrons) to damage cancer cells so that they can't multiply. Radiation can also damage the normal cells, but these cells can repair themselves in a course of time.There is usually no pain during Radiotherapy.

Radiotherapy may sometimes be the only treatment needed, or it may be used with other therapies, such as surgery or Chemotherapy. A combination of surgery and radiotherapy may be used for tumors that grow in one place. Radiation can be given in two ways-

(1). External Radiotherapy-Given from outside the body using X-rays, cobalt irradiation, electrons or protons.
(2). Internal Radiotherapy- Given from within by placing radioactive material in or close to the tumour being treated.

Radiotherapy gives great results and benefits, and the risks are less, provided it is used properly. Your doctor should have the knowledge and experience so that the Radiation treatment does not exceed the radiothertherapy limits of each part of the body. Doctors try to prevent as much side effects as possible. They take care to concentrate the radiation rays on the cancerous area from different angles. Persons having same type of cancer can have different treatment plans for Radiotherapy depending on their sensivity to the radiation rays.

You can read how to make a treatment plan for Radiotherapy at-http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3605

Side effects-

Radiotherapy can leave you feeling tired.It affects your skin and blood. The red blood cells count can decrease and you may need blood transfusions. Incase your white blood cells count decrease, your treatment needs to be stopped for sometime.It is common to feel anxious and depressed.

Biological Therapy-

Another kind of treatment is biological therapy. This treatment uses proteins to trigger the body's immune system to produce more white blood cells (or lymphocytes). Two lymphocytes that can attack and kill cancer cells are the T-cell and the B-cell. The proteins boost the ability of the T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes to kill cancer. Biological therapy can also be used in combination with surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Hormone Therapy-

Hormone therapy is sometimes used to treat breast or prostate cancer. The hormone estrogen can make breast cancer tumors grow faster. Similarly, the hormone testosterone can make cancerous tumors in the prostate grow faster. Drugs that contain other hormones may be used to block the effects of estrogen and testosterone. In other cases, surgery to remove the ovaries or the testicles may be used. Removing these organs reduces the amount of estrogen or testosterone in the body.
Hormone therapy is often used in addition to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

References taken from-http://familydoctor.org/721.xml
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=156

Clinical Trials-
Clinical trials are used to research new ways of treating people with cancer. After a new medicine goes through many tests — both in the lab and on animals — it is tested on people with cancer who volunteer to take part in a clinical trial. The trial helps doctors decide whether a medicine is safe and effective. It also helps determine the correct dosages that patients should receive.