Cancer treatment

Despite the efforts of physicians around the world, mortality from cancer remains very high and is second only to cardiovascular pathologies. Before oncological diseases, all people on the planet are equal, regardless of their state and nationality, because there is still no effective means of protection.

Cancer treatment is a set of therapeutic measures designed to combat cancer. The task of physicians is not only to improve the general condition of the patient, but also to rid him of aggressor cells.

Malignant neoplasms are characterized by active growth, germination in nearby tissues and metastasis to other organs. Doctors distinguish 4 stages of the development of the oncological process, while each of them has its own consequences and complications for the body.

If the cancer was detected at the initial stage, then the prognosis is the most favorable, in most of these cases, patients are completely cured. In the late stages and advanced phases of the disease, anticancer therapy is ineffective. Symptomatic treatment is used in parallel to relieve the symptoms of the underlying condition and the effects of chemotherapy or radiation.

Modern methods of treatment of oncological diseases

There are several main types of treatment:

• surgical method,
• chemotherapy,
• radiation therapy,
• photodynamic therapy,
• hormone therapy,
• immunotherapy,
• cryotherapy,
• palliative therapy.

At the same time, oncologists consider mixed therapy to be the most effective method today: for example, surgery plus chemotherapy or surgical treatment with radiation therapy.

Surgery

Surgical treatment of oncological diseases is effective before the formation of metastases, while cancer cells are localized in one place. Unfortunately, modern medicine cannot yet prevent metastasis, so surgical treatment is used as part of a combined treatment.

Along with the neoplasm, adjacent healthy tissues are removed to avoid the spread of malignant cells. Along with a standard scalpel, a laser and ultrasound, radio frequency knife, laser beam are used, which reduces the risk of bleeding and speeds up the healing process.

In the early stages of cancer, surgical treatment is especially effective.

Chemotherapy

It uses toxic drugs that affect cell division.

For the first time, this method of treatment was used in the early 40s of the last century by German doctors. The downside of the method is that along with malignant cells, healthy ones also suffer. But modern doctors have learned how to correctly dose drugs, which significantly reduces side effects.

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy)

The effect is achieved due to ionizing radiation, which destroys the genetic structure of the cell, preventing its division and growth. In modern radiation therapy, various types of radiation are used, which differ in biological effects, penetrating power and energy distribution in the radiation beam.

Depending on how you get it:

• x-rays of low and medium energies – they are obtained on special x-ray therapeutic installations;
• high-energy bremsstrahlung – it is obtained using electron accelerators;
• gamma radiation of natural or artificially produced radioactive elements.

It is believed that healthy tissues, due to their ability to regenerate, are less susceptible to the harmful effects of radiation, but the most powerful modern installations with a more accurate dose of radiation to the affected area help to minimize the risk of damage to healthy tissue.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)

The method of this method of treatment of oncological diseases is based on the use of photosensitizers. This is a series of special medicines that increase the susceptibility of tissues to light radiation, under the influence of which it is tumor cells that are destroyed.

The method is used not only in the treatment of cancer, but also in other areas of medicine (gynecology, ophthalmology, dermatology, cosmetology, etc.).

Hormonotherapy

A method for the treatment of malignant neoplasms, the growth and spread of which depends on the level of certain hormones, as well as tumors that independently release large doses of hormones into the blood.

Hormone therapy is used in the combined treatment of breast, thyroid, prostate and endocrine cancers.

Immunotherapy

A type of cancer treatment in which the drug does not act on the tumor itself, as in chemotherapy or targeted therapy, but on the immune system, helping it to detect cancer cells. Thus, immunotherapy prevents tumor cells from resisting the immune system.

This type of therapy is now being actively studied and used in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and some other tumors in certain circumstances.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy (cryolysis, cryoablation) is a method of local destruction of cancer cells with the help of cold. Cryotherapy is similar to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) – in which pathologically altered tissues are removed by burning them with an electric current of a certain frequency. But unlike RFA, tumor cells are affected not by high, but by very low temperatures. This leads to their death and subsequent necrosis of the tumor node.

Despite the fact that cryotherapy is a rather young method of cancer treatment, it is successfully used along with surgical, radiation and medicinal methods.

Palliative Care

It is aimed at alleviating the symptoms of the disease in patients in cases where there is no hope for a cure. Such therapy can reduce pain, suffering and discomfort, as well as improve the quality of life of patients, and in some cases achieve some increase in its duration.

Doctors advice on cancer treatment

Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. oncologist Roman Temnikov. – Quitting smoking, a healthy lifestyle, avoiding carcinogens and excessive exposure to the sun, along with a timely visit to a specialist for any warning symptoms, reduce the risk of cancer.

If the doctor has diagnosed a malignant neoplasm, do not panic and clearly follow all the recommendations and prescriptions. Effectiveness in the treatment of any type of cancer depends on many factors, including the patient himself. Never compare yourself with other patients and do not transfer their bad experience to yourself. Avoid unproven methods and drugs without consulting an oncologist.

Remember that the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy go away, and a diagnosis of cancer is not a death sentence.

Popular questions and answers

We asked about the treatment of oncological diseases oncologist Roman Temnikov.