Cancer is probably the biggest challenge that you will ever face in your life. It is a mental, physical, and emotional rollercoaster, which many people often struggle to pay for. Not many years ago there was just one way to treat cancer: chemotherapy. Chemo has changed dramatically in some ways, while in others it remains the same. Many chemotherapy medications still need to be administered via an intravenous line (IV), though there are now many more options as well. Depending on what type of cancer you have and your specific circumstances, you may have options on how you want to treat your cancer. A few options are listed below, though your oncologist will be able to give you specifics.
Chemotherapy: Pill Form
Nowadays an IV form of chemotherapy is not necessary (in some cases) to be effective. In the last 10-15 years, oral chemotherapy has become more popular, allowing individuals to continue their normal life while fighting their cancer. Instead of having to go to their oncologist every day in order to get treatment, they can take a pill within the comfort of their own homes. Unfortunately, not every type of cancer can be treated with oral chemotherapy, and it does have similar side effects to IV chemotherapy.
Fighting Cancer With Your body: Immunotherapy
Sometimes your own body could be making your cancer worse. In some instances, the body does not know that it is under attack, so it does not even try to fight. In these instances, doctors can treat patients with immunotherapy medications. Immunotherapy is a way of letting the body know that something is not right, which helps to ramp up defenses. Immunotherapy has been proven to help the body respond naturally to treating cancer, and many people have found success.
From Within: Cryoablation and Radiofrequency Ablation
If a large tumor is the source of cancer within your body, it needs to come out. Some people opt for surgery in order to remove tumors, while others choose to fight tumors from within with some form of ablation. An ablation is when something is inserted directly into the tumor and then destroys it from within by burning it. There are multiple methods of ablation, including cryoablations (where the tumor is destroyed from cold) or a radiofrequency ablation (where the tumor is destroyed with high-frequency sound waves). Destroying a tumor with an ablation has been proven to be safe and effective.
In conclusion, there is more than one way to wage a war with cancer. Talk to your doctor about which method is most likely to win your battle.
To learn more, visit a website like http://swoncology.net/.