Cancer Treatments
If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, then the discussion has mostly been regarding recommended cancer treatments, side effects, and efficacy. There are a number of cancer treatment options available, including alternative or natural cancer treatments, invasive and non-invasive procedures, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination. Not every cancer treatment works the same for every patient. It depends a great deal on what type of cancer has been diagnosed, how much it has progressed, and what type of cancer treatments are effective at that particular stage. Some people opt not to proceed with any type of cancer treatment, which is also their choice. If the going through all the pain and suffering just isn’t worth it to them for whatever reason, they are allowed to make this decision. Some aggressive cancers have advanced so quickly that whatever type of therapy chosen may just not be able to stop the cancer from spreading, or it has progressed so far that treatment is not even an option.
When most people think of cancer treatment, they think of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is used to treat the majority of cancers; there are over 100 different drugs that are used alone or in combination with others, that work systemically throughout the body. There is always a great chance that cancer cells have or will migrate to other parts of the body, which is why chemotherapy is used as the first line approach. Chemotherapy can be administered orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously, and be taken daily, weekly, or monthly. Unfortunately, some side effects are common with chemotherapy, but there are new cancer drugs being developed all the time that work to reduce side effects and make chemotherapy more bearable. Chemotherapy is usually the first step in cancer treatment, before surgery or other more aggressive options are chosen, unless of course there is no choice.
There are also a number of alternative cancer treatments that are very effective when used in conjunction with traditional approaches. Some of these alternative therapies include herbal supplements like various herbal remedies, but care must be taken to not use these treatments in any other way than prescribed, and plenty of research should be conducted first to make sure it’s not just a scam. Cancer patients should also inform their oncologist of everything they are taking, which includes all prescription and over the counter medications, and herbal preparations. There could be a chance of interaction between these chemicals and certain cancer treatments. Before making a decision regarding any type of cancer treatment, do your homework, and get a second opinion. What may be the right cancer treatment for one, may not be for another.
