Cancer treatments
Cancer treatments
Cancer treatments (/ˈkænsər ˈtriːtmənts/) are methods used to manage and control the growth of cancer cells in the body. The choice of treatment depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the overall health of the patient.
Etymology
The term "cancer" comes from the Latin cancer, meaning "crab", due to the crab-like spread of the disease in the body. The term "treatment" comes from the Latin tractare, meaning "to handle, manage, or deal with".
Types of Cancer Treatments
There are several types of cancer treatments, including:
- Surgery: This involves the physical removal of the cancerous tumor. It is often used when the cancer is localized to one area of the body.
- Radiation therapy: This uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cancer cells. It can be used alone or in combination with other treatments.
- Chemotherapy: This uses drugs to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. It can be systemic (affecting the whole body) or localized (targeting a specific area).
- Immunotherapy: This boosts the body's natural defenses to fight cancer. It uses substances made by the body or in a lab to improve or restore immune system function.
- Hormone therapy: This slows or stops the growth of cancer that uses hormones to grow.
- Targeted therapy: This uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells.
- Stem cell transplant: This procedure restores blood-forming stem cells in people who have had theirs destroyed by very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Related Terms
- Oncology: The study of cancer.
- Tumor: An abnormal growth of tissue. It may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
- Metastasis: The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another.
- Remission: A decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer.
- Relapse: The return of cancer after treatment and after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Cancer treatments
- Wikipedia's article - Cancer treatments
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