Cancer Treatment FAQs

What are the different types of cancer treatment?

Four major treatments are widely used to combat cancer. These methods are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy (sometimes referred to as biological therapy). Surgery is the oldest method for treating cancer. It plays an important role in diagnosing and detecting the extent of cancer in the body. The newest method for treating cancer is immunotherapy, a process that relies on the body's immune system to combat the disease.

How is acute myeloid leukemia treated?

Currently, there is no cure for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but a variety of treatments are available to bring about remission, including chemotherapy (the most commonly used treatment), radiation therapy, and clinical trials, such as bone marrow transplantation and biological therapy.

How is chronic lymphocytic leukemia treated?

While there is still no cure for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), there are several types of treatment designed to bring this disease into remission, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, bone marrow transplantation, and peripheral stem cell transplantation. Currently, bone marrow transplantation, peripheral stem cell transplantation, and biological therapy-which involves using the patient's own immune system to fight the disease-are being tested in clinical trials and have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

How is non-Hodgkins lymphoma treated?

Currently, there is no cure for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but there are several types of treatment available to help bring about remission. These include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, observation, biological therapy, high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplantation, and high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The type of treatment is selected on a case-by-case basis, is different for adults and children, and may be combined with other methods for optimal results.

How is myelodysplasia treated?

Available treatments for myelodysplasia include platelet or red blood cell transfusions, bone marrow transplants, and various medications.

What are the different kinds of drugs given to patients with cancer?

Among others, anti-cancer drugs include Cytarabine, Mitoxantrone, Etoposide, Idarubicin, Daunorubicin, Amsarcrine, Zevalin, Cyclophosphamide, Rituxan, Antithymocyte Globulin, Fludarabine, FND, and Mycophenolate mofetil.

What is immunotherapy?

Immunotheraphy is a treatment in which the body's immune system is used to fight cancers of the blood. According to the American Cancer Society, there are two types of immunotherapies: active and passive. Cancer vaccines are considered active immunotherapies because they "activate" the immune system to attack the cancer cells. In contrast, passive therapy does not induce the body to attack the disease. One example of an active immunotherapy is a cancer vaccine. The vaccine is injected into the body and contains cancer cells, parts of cells, or pure antigens. Once the drug is injected it triggers an immune system response.

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs or chemicals to stop the growth of cancer cells. Drugs are injected into the body with the aim of attacking cancer cells and eventually killing or damaging them. Ultimately, these drugs are meant to slow down the progression of the disease and force it into remission. Drugs used in chemotherapy are commonly taken before or after surgery. Sometimes, however, they are used by themselves. Chemotherapy's success largely depends on the type of cancer and the amount it has spread.

What is radiation therapy?

In radiation therapy, high doses of radiation (such as those found in X-rays) are used to shrink or eliminate tumors. In treating adults, the radiation is directed onto the body. In treating children, radioactive materials are encased in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters and placed directly into cancer sites.

What is high-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplantation?

In the first step of this therapy, stem cells (immature blood cells) are extracted from the patient's bone marrow and frozen. Next, the patient receives very high levels of chemotherapy, after which the frozen stem cells are thawed and gradually returned to the patient via infusion. These cells then mature into functioning, healthy cells.

What is biological therapy?

Biological therapy involves the restoration of the patient's immune system. Imitative substances are created in a laboratory and strengthen the body's defenses against particular diseases or cancers. Such treatments include monoclonal antibody therapy and vaccine therapy. Monoclonal antibody therapy uses lab-produced substances to find and damage specific, cancerous cells throughout the body. It is advantageous because it only harms those cells that it is designed to attack. Vaccine therapy stimulates the body's natural immune system to kill cancer cells.

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