In today’s world, there are many different types of cancer – hundreds, actually. Medical professionals and researchers that focus on treating these diseases have conducted numerous studies and concluded that, for each individual type of cancer, there are at least one to two treatment methods that are most appropriate for alleviating the symptoms that are troublesome to the patient, and slowing the progression of the illness. In this health guide, you will be introduced to several of the most common forms of treatments that are available for cancer patients.
Chemotherapy
One of the most common and most popular forms of treatment for cancer is chemotherapy. This is nothing more than a name given to medications that assist an individual in combating the effects of cancer. These medications are chemical based and work to completely kill off cancer cells within the body.
In addition to this, this type of cancer treatment has the capability of reducing the size of tumors in the body so that they may be eliminated by surgery, to enhance the overall effectiveness of other types of cancer treatment such as the popular radiation, and to overcome the body’s overall resistance to cancerous cells. In addition to this, chemotherapy is said to enhance a patient’s quality of living and comfort level while suffering from cancer.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is a popular type of cancer treatment. It has been established by medical professionals and other individuals that work directly with cancer patients that this type of therapy has the ability to reduce cancer cells, slow the progression of the duplication that occurs within cells in the body that have mutated, and even drastically reduce or completely eliminate tumors that may occur in the body due to the type of cancer that the patient is suffering from.
There are two basic types of radiation treatment for cancer. The first is external and is usually administered through the means of a beam. The second is internal and is normally administered through the means of injection in the area where the cancer cells are located.
Bone Marrow Transplant
Individuals that have certain types of cancer may benefit from the cancer treatment of a bone marrow transplant. Within the bone marrow, there are special cells that are identified by medical professionals as “Stem Cells”. During a special surgical procedure, these cells are taken out of the bone marrow. The performing team of surgeons works to filter out the cells that they remove from the bone marrow.
Once the cells have been properly filtered, they may be issued back to the individual undergoing the treatment. In certain instances, individuals that undergo a bone marrow transplant will receive stem cells that have been filtered from other individuals prior to the surgical proceeding.
Conclusion
The cancer treatments of chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplants are the most common and popular when it comes to the medical community. These treatments seem to provide the longest benefits to the individual suffering from cancer.
Most of the time, a cancer patient will have a consultation with a doctor and be evaluated for an extended amount of time prior to being issued a treatment for their condition. There are many factors that are considered prior to making a decision on the best treatment option. Typically, treatments will be on a patient to patient basis.