Cancer

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Carcinoma; Malignant tumor

Treatment also varies based on the type of cancer and its stage. The stage of a cancer refers to how much it has grown and whether the tumor has spread from its original location.

• If the cancer is confined to one location and has not spread, the goal for treatment would be surgery and cure. This is often the case with skin cancers.
• If the tumor has spread to local lymph nodes only, sometimes these can also be removed.
• If all of the cancer cannot be removed with surgery, the options for treatment include radiation, chemotherapy, or both. Some cancers require a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Although treatment for cancer can be difficult, there many ways to keep up your strength.

If you have radiation treatment, know that:

• Radiation treatment is painless.
• Treatment is usually scheduled every weekday.
• You should allow 30 minutes for each treatment session although the treatment itself usually takes only a few minutes.
• You should get plenty of rest and eat a well-balanced diet during the course of your radiation therapy.
• Skin in the treated area may become sensitive and easily irritated.
• Side effects of radiation treatment are usually temporary and vary depending on the area of the body that is being treated.

If you are going through chemotherapy, you should eat right. Chemotherapy causes your immune system to weaken, so you should avoid people with colds or the flu. You should also get plenty of rest, and don't feel you have to accomplish tasks all at once.

It will help you to talk with family, friends, or a support group about your feelings. Work with your health care providers throughout your treatment. Helping yourself can make you feel more in control.

The diagnosis of cancer often causes a lot of anxiety and can affect your entire quality of life. Several support groups for cancer patients to you cope.

The outlook varies widely among different types of cancer. Even among people with one particular type of cancer, the outcome varies depending on the stage of the tumor at diagnosis. Some cancers can be cured, some that are not curable can still be treated well, and some patients can live for many years with the cancer. Other tumors are rapidly fatal.

One complication is that the cancer may spread. Other complications vary with the type and stage of the tumor.

You should contact your doctor if you develop signs or symptoms suggestive of cancer.

Review Date: 09/11/2006
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.