When a person notices unusual symptoms — the first step is to visit a doctor.The doctor will begin with a physical check-up and basic tests like blood work or imaging, depending on the symptom.
But to make sure it's cancer, the most significant test is a biopsy — where they remove a tiny bit of tissue from the suspicious area and take a look at it under a microscope. It will tell us if the cells are cancerous or not.
In addition to this, the physician might also suggest sophisticated scans such as a CT scan, MRI, or PET scan. These assist in determining the precise size and position of the tumor — and whether it has extended to other regions of the body.
After cancer is diagnosed, it is assigned a stage — Stage 1 to Stage 4. This assists doctors in determining how much the cancer has progressed and what kind of treatment is required.
After cancer is diagnosed, the treatment strategy is devised based on the type, stage, and site of cancer, as well as the age, fitness, and general health of the patient.
Treatments for cancer fall into two broad categories:
Local treatments – such as surgery and radiation, which are used to treat a localized area
And systemic treatments – such as drug therapies, which are used to treat the entire body
1. Surgery
"Surgery is usually used when the cancer is local. The aim is to remove the tumor and some of the surrounding tissue or lymph nodes.
2. Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy employs high-energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells.".
It is a local therapy — i.e., it treats a local area of the body. Radiotherapy can be used:
To reduce the size of the tumor before surgery
After operation to destroy any remaining cancer cells
Or as primary treatment if operation cannot be undertaken
It is administered externally (from a machine) or internally (by inserting a radioactive source within the body).
Side effects can be skin changes, tiredness, or local pain — but these are generally temporary and tolerable.
3. Drug Therapies (Systemic Treatment)
"Now let's consider drug therapies, which act throughout the body. There are four broad categories."
a. Chemotherapy
"Chemotherapy kills growing cancer cells with strong drugs. It is administered by IV, injections, or pills.
It is given to:
Shrink tumors prior to surgery
Kill residual cancer cells after surgery
Or treat cancer that has metastasized to other parts of the body
Since it also targets healthy cells, patients may develop side effects such as tiredness, nausea, loss of hair, or weak immunity.
b. Targeted Therapy
"Targeted therapy targets specific genes or proteins that enable cancer to develop. It is more specific than chemotherapy and tends to have fewer side effects.".
Doctors screen the tumor initially to determine whether it contains certain mutations. It's applied in cancers such as lung, breast, and colon.
c. Hormone Therapy
It's applied for cancers that develop due to hormones — such as breast or prostate cancer.
Hormone therapy operates by inhibiting or decreasing the levels of hormones in the body, slowing down the growth of cancer. It's frequently administered as daily tablets or monthly injections.
d. Immunotherapy
"Immunotherapy makes the body's immune system attack cancer — something cancer cells are generally trying to avoid.
It's applied in certain advanced types of cancer such as lung, melanoma, and kidney cancer. Physicians perform special tests to determine whether or not a patient will be treated with it."
Each treatment is determined by what will be most effective for the patient. At times, the patient requires surgery, radiation, and drug therapy.
CancerMitr is a dedicated cancer care support platform that guides patients through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and beyond with expert counselling and compassionate assistance.
