Treatment
Treatment
Which Are The Established Methods Of Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatment is a complex process that depends on the type and stage of the disease, as well as the patient's state of health, whether there are comorbidities and other factors.
The main methods include surgery to remove tumours, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells, and hormone and immunotherapy to block cancer-promoting hormones and strengthen the immune system. Targeted therapies offer more precisely targeted treatment with fewer side effects than other methods.
General information about cancer treatment
Cancer treatment is a complex process that depends on many factors, such as the type and stage of the disease, as well as the patient's overall health. In modern medicine, various treatment methods are used.
Surgery is often used to physically remove the tumour and is particularly effective in the early stages of different cancers.
Chemotherapy involves the use of special drugs to destroy cancer cells and can be administered in a variety of ways, including orally and by injection.
Radiotherapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells and is often combined with surgery before or after surgery.
Hormone therapy is suitable for treating cancers that are sensitive to hormones, as it aims to block or reduce the hormones stimulating cancer cells.
Immunotherapy directs the immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Targeted therapies are a relatively new method that attack specific characteristics of cancer cells, offering the possibility of fewer side effects than traditional methods.
The choice of treatment is always based on the patient's individual situation, with doctors striving to find the most effective and safest therapeutic strategy, as well as selecting treatment according to the stage and type of tumour and metastasis.
Fundamental to the success of treatment is the involvement of different specialists who form a multidisciplinary team to plan and implement an individual treatment plan adapted to the specific needs of each patient. The aim of the multidisciplinary team is to bring together medical expertise from different fields to achieve optimal results in cancer treatment and prevention.
Modern oncology has a wide range of therapies that can be applied alone or in combination to achieve maximum effectiveness. The aim of this page is to give you a detailed insight into the most important treatment methods for different types of cancer in both men and women.
Methods of cancer treatment
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses strong drugs that destroy rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells. This method is particularly effective for treating many types of cancer, including breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy stimulates the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. This type of treatment has shown good effects in lung cancer and melanoma, and is increasingly being used for different types of cancer.
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. It is often used for breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as to treat local tumors or to relieve symptoms.
Hormonal therapy
Hormone therapy is effective for cancers that are sensitive to hormones, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. This therapy blocks or limits the action of hormones that stimulate cancer cell growth.
Surgery
Surgery is often the first step in treating cancer, especially if the tumour is localised and can be completely removed. It is used for breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer.
Cancer treatment aims to destroy or control cancer cells and minimise the risk of the disease spreading. Different methods have specific goals, which are discussed next:
- Surgery: the goal is the physical removal of the tumor and affected tissues. This is especially important in the early stages of cancer, when the disease has not yet spread and can be completely removed.
- Chemotherapy: used to destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or spread to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy may be used in all stages of cancer to control growth, to reduce the size of tumors, or as a palliative treatment to relieve symptoms in advanced stages.
- Radiotherapy: Aims to destroy cancer cells with high-energy rays. It is often combined with surgery to destroy residual cells and administered before or after surgery. It is also used to relieve pain and other symptoms in the later stages of cancer.
- Hormone therapy: reduces or blocks the action of hormones that stimulate the growth of certain cancers, such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. The goal is to prevent recurrence and control the spread of the disease.
- Immunotherapy: Stimulates the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. This therapy is effective in various stages and especially in advanced stages where traditional therapies may not be as effective.
European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recommendations for cancer treatment
The European Society for Medical Oncology provides comprehensive guidance on the treatment of different types of cancer, focusing on the latest evidence-based approaches. Following is a summary of recommendations for several specific cancers:
Breast cancer
The ESMO guidelines cover a range of topics, including early and metastatic stages, with recommendations for screening, diagnosis, pathology, staging, risk assessment, disease management and follow-up. They also address palliative care and the patient perspective, emphasizing the importance of personalized treatment plans based on molecular profiling.
Prostate cancer
ESMO recommendations include various therapeutic options based on disease stage and progression, from localized treatments to advanced systemic therapies, with an emphasis on hormonal therapy and novel targeted therapies.
Haematological malignancies
The ESMO recommendations include guidelines for several types of blood cancers, suggesting diagnostic, treatment and management strategies tailored to the specific type and progression of each malignancy.
Cancer of the endometrium
The ESMO guidelines provide a detailed framework for clinical and pathological diagnosis, treatment options ranging from surgery to advanced systemic therapies, and considerations for risk assessment and follow-up care.
Cervical cancer
ESMO guidelines stress the importance of thorough diagnostics, including HPV testing and cervical cytology to accurately stage and diagnose the disease.
Treatment recommendations are made according to the stage of the disease, from the early stages of the disease, where surgery and radiotherapy are common, to the advanced stages, where chemoradiotherapy becomes the main treatment. Fertility-preserving treatment methods can also be applied to eligible patients.
Lung cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC: For early stage NSCLC, surgical resection is recommended when possible, often followed by adjuvant chemotherapy depending on the stage of the tumour. For advanced NSCLC, systemic therapy including chemotherapy, targeted therapy (depending on genetic mutations such as EGFR, ALK, etc.) and immunotherapy is recommended.
Small cell lung cancer SCLC: For limited stage SCLC, concurrent chemotherapy is the standard of care, while systemic chemotherapy along with immunotherapy is recommended for advanced stage.
All recommendations and information presented on the pages of Health Navigator, a platform for cancer care, are aligned with the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) guidelines and their patient guides by diagnosis.
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