Should I talk to my doctor about cancer treatment decisions?
In a few cancers, there are some treatment decisions that have to be made right away. But usually, you can take some time to think about them, and you should think about them. If you are concerned about waiting to start treatment, you should talk to your doctor. Why get a second opinion? Reasons for getting a second opinion include:
What are the treatment options for cancer?
Our Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Treatment may help. Surgery When used to treat cancer, surgery is a procedure in which a surgeon removes cancer from your body. Radiation Therapy Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
What are the different ways that surgery is used against cancer?
When used to treat cancer, surgery is a procedure in which a surgeon removes cancer from your body. Learn the different ways that surgery is used against cancer and what you can expect before, during, and after surgery. Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
How can complementary treatments help with cancer treatment?
Examples might include meditation to reduce stress, peppermint or ginger tea for nausea, or guided imagery to help relieve stress and pain during medical procedures. Many complementary treatments are unlikely to cause harm and won’t interfere with your cancer treatment. Here are some examples:
What are 3 types of treatment for cancer?
The most common treatments are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
What are the 3 primary treatments for cancer in modern medicine?
The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy.
What is the current problem with cancer treatment?
The existing chemotherapeutic drugs are toxic to all cells including cancer and normal cells. So the administration of these toxic agents kill the rapidly proliferating cancer cells as well as the normal cells which may lead to some serious side effects and may sometimes cause the death of patients.
What new therapies are being used to treat cancer today?
Many different targeted therapies have been approved for use in cancer treatment. These therapies include hormone therapies, signal transduction inhibitors, gene expression modulators, apoptosis inducers, angiogenesis inhibitors, immunotherapies, and toxin delivery molecules.
What is the most successful cancer treatment?
Top of the best cancer drug list is Celgene's Revlimid (lenalidomide). This drug has been very successful in the treatment of multiple myeloma as it promotes immune responses that slow tumour growth. It is also used to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
Which cancer is known as the silent killer?
Pancreatic Cancer: The Silent Killer.
What are the two critical problems in cancer treatment?
What are the most common side effects of cancer treatment? Some of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatment include pain and fatigue, anemia, mouth problems, nausea/weight change/dietary issues, and hair, skin and nail problems.
What are newer strategies being researched to cure or treat cancer?
New approaches to tame the immune system in the fight against cancer are getting us closer to a future where cancer becomes a curable disease. Personalized vaccines, cell therapy, gene editing and microbiome treatments are four technologies that will change the way cancer is treated.
What's new in cancer research?
Researchers have identified a protein called CD24 that may be a new target for cancer immunotherapy. The protein is a 'don't eat me' signal that prevents immune cells called macrophages from engulfing and eating cells.
What is the future of cancer treatment?
Precision medicine will offer more people customized care based on their genes and history. Two forms of immunotherapy — checkpoint inhibitors and CAR therapy — are harnessing the power of the immune system to fight cancer. New epigenetic drugs could turn cancer cells back to normal instead of destroying them outright.
Is cancer treatment better in America?
Studies show that survival rates for major cancers are better in America than they are in other developed nations.
Which is better immunotherapy or targeted therapy?
Khuri:A number of data show that targeted therapies are more specific, have reliable biomarkers of response, treatment with them results in much higher response rates than immunotherapy, and longer median PFSs.
What is the best treatment for cancer?
Surgery. Surgery is another very commonly used method for dealing with cancer. It simply involves cutting out the parts of the body with cancer. Cancer surgery is routine for many cancer types (breast, prostate) but may be difficult for others (brain, heart). Usage in India: extremely common.
What is the treatment for cancer in India?
Chemotherapy . Chemotherapy or chemo is widely used for cancer care in India and globally as well. The basic principle is that chemo kills cancer cells and healthy cells at a specific location in the body. Chemotherapy can be thought of as a poison, which keeps the cells from dividing, preventing cancer cells from reproducing.
What is radiotherapy used for?
It is used to destroy all cancer and healthy cells in a certain area in the body. Radiotherapy is commonly used for certain cancer types including leukemia and lymphomas but not available for other cancer types.
How does immunotherapy work in India?
It works by training the bodies immune system, which ignores cancer to recognize cancer cells as harmful and attack them. Currently about 20% of patients will respond to immunotherapy, which is in line with many targeted therapies.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem Cell Therapy. Stem cell therapy is limited to a few cancer types and is usually given when a bone marrow transplant is required. Often used after chemotherapy or radiation therapy weakens the bones, requiring a transplant. Stem cells may be taken for the patient or from another individual.
What is targeted therapy?
Targeted Therapy. Targeted therapies try to target specific gene mutation (s) which are driving the cancer. By targeting specifically cancer cells and not healthy cells (as with the options listed above), targeted therapies aim to reduce unwanted effects. Targeted therapies vary greatly by cancer type and stage.
Is chemo poisonous?
Chemotherapy can be thought of as a poison, which keeps the cells from dividing, preventing cancer cells from reproducing. The biggest drawback of chemo are adverse effects. Usage in India: extremely common. Availability: nearly all types of chemo are widely available in India.
How to help people with cancer?
Massage therapy can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and pain and increase alertness, according to some studies. Prayer and spirituality help many people with the emotional side effects from cancer. Tai chi and yoga have been shown to improve strength and balance in some people.
How to help someone with cancer feel better?
Examples might include meditation to reduce stress, peppermint or ginger tea for nausea, or guided imagery to help relieve stress and pain during medical procedures.
What are the risks of alternative medicine?
Some of these therapies promise wellness using a method that sounds simple, wholesome, and without harmful side effects. But this is not always true. Some concerns include: 1 Delaying surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other traditional treatment by using an alternative therapy can allow the cancer to grow and spread to other parts of the body. 2 Some complementary and alternative therapies have been reported to cause serious problems or even deaths. 3 Certain vitamins and minerals can increase the risk of cancer or other illnesses, especially if too much is taken. Some companies don’t follow Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules about making claims and labeling supplements properly. In some cases, harmful contaminants can get into dietary supplements because of how they are manufactured or handled.
Why is alternative medicine alarming?
This is alarming because evidence shows that people who use alternative therapies in place of standard cancer treatments have much higher death rates. The terms “alternative,” “complementary,” and “lifestyle” medicine are used to describe many kinds of products, practices, and treatments that are not part of standard or traditional medicine.
What is alternative therapy?
Alternative therapy refers to non-standard treatment used in place of standard treatment, while complementary therapy usually means methods used along with standard treatment. Lifestyle medicine is a newer field that describes its approach as preventing and treating illness through healthy eating, physical activity, ...
Why are alternative therapies so popular?
Alternative and complementary therapies are often appealing because they use your own body, your own mind, or things that may be found in nature. But sometimes these methods wrongly claim to prevent, diagnose, or treat cancer even when they have not been proven to work through scientific testing.
Can cancer spread to other parts of the body?
Some concerns include: Delaying surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other traditional treatment by using an alternative therapy can allow the cancer to grow and spread to other parts of the body. Some complementary and alternative therapies have been reported to cause serious problems or even deaths. Certain vitamins and minerals can increase the ...
What would happen if the US spent more money on finding a cure for cancer?
Finding the cure to cancer would save millions and millions of people which would help not only the cured people but everyone they know and are close to. It would make the lives of people around them a lot easier and less stressful. If someone found a cure to cancer there would be so much more joy around the world because of the lives that would be saved.
Should the federal government fund research into finding cures for cancer?
No, the federal government should not fund more research into finding cures for cancer, because the private drug companies have plenty of incentive to do research to solve the problem amongst themselves. The companies have a lot of money to gain once they finally solve cancer, so we can have faith that their work will end cancer without government funding.
Is there enough time to wait for a second opinion?
Treatment decisions should be made after you have learned all you can about your diagnosis, prognosis, and available treatment options. This can take time, depending on the type of cancer you have. In a few cancers, there are some treatment decisions that have to be made right away.
Remembering what your doctor says
It’s hard to understand complex information when you are anxious or afraid. And sometimes, without knowing it, doctors use words that you don’t understand. If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor to explain it to you.
How to talk to your doctor about getting a second opinion
Some people find it hard to tell their doctors that they’d like a second opinion. Remember it is common for patients to get a second opinion, and doctors are comfortable with the request. If you are unsure of how to begin, here are a few ways to start the conversation:
The second opinion process: what to expect
Before you start looking for a second opinion, contact your insurance company to find out what your policy covers. In some cases, you may have to get a second opinion from another doctor who is part of your health plan before the plan will pay for your treatment
Deciding where to go for a second opinion
Let your doctor know if you want to get a second opinion. Most doctors understand the value of a second opinion, and they are not offended when a patient wants one. They may even be able to recommend another doctor.
Making sense of the second opinion
Although cancer patients seem to be asking for a second opinion more frequently, studies show the benefits of getting one are unclear . If the second opinion differs from the first, you may find the following tips helpful: