Cancer is considered one of the most common causes of death in North America. It’s a disease that triggers the cells of the body lose control over the cell cycle, as a result the cells grow at abnormal and uncontrollable rates to form a cluster of cells, or tumor. In later stages, the cancer can metastasize, or spread, to other parts of the body.

With the advancement of technology, the prognosis for many types of cancer is positive when caught early. The following treatments may help reduce the symptoms, and also stop the disease from progressing. While some treatments are meant to improve the lifespan of cancer patients; others are aimed at shrinking the size of the tumor:

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a process where specific drugs are injected into the body to kill cancer cells. Chemo works by inhibiting the abnormal cell cycle machinery and inactivating them to further multiply.

2. Surgery

Surgery is done if the cancer cells are localized and have not metastasized. In this process, the tumors, along with a margin of healthy cells, are subsequently removed.

3. Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a radiology based method where a high-powered beam of energy rays that consist of protons or X-rays is used. The treatment is made in two ways. One is the external way where the radiations are exposed from outside the body. The second procedure involves a process where the machine emitting the beams is placed inside the body through a process called brachytherapy.

4. Stem cells transplant

Stem cell transplant is a process where the stem cells of the bone marrow are transplanted from a donor. It is done by coupling with chemotherapeutic drugs to completely deactivate the carcinoma cells.

5. Immunotherapy

It is also synonymously called as biological therapy. The immunology of the body fights with various carcinomas naturally. Since many types of cancer may progress without being recognized, immunotherapy is a way to check on the attack of cancerous cells.

6. Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy for cancer is a process where the administered drugs target various types of cell abnormality that causes cancer. This uplifts the growth of healthy cells and kills the targeted unhealthy cells.

7. Hormone therapy

Cancerous cells of breast and prostate cancer are nourished by hormones produced within the body. This type of cancer can be treated with hormonal therapy. The hormones that trigger the growth of the cancer cells are down-regulated. These are initially done through cancer trials.

8. Cryoablation

In this technique, cancer cells are exposed to a cold environment. It requires the insertion of a needle in the mass of cancer cells. The gas that freezes the tissue is pumped and then allowed to thaw. This process is repeated several times. The cancer cells get killed gradually.

9. Radiofrequency ablation

This is a treatment where high-frequency electrical energy is administered to the carcinoma cells. Gradually, the cancer cells die. In this process, a needle is injected into the cell through with electricity is passed. Sometimes, high-frequency energy might be used to kill the nearby cells.