Cancer is one of the most diseases that cause millions of casualties every year and it becomes a must to understand the basic cure and underlying treatment methods for this deadly disease. Though the disease is not 100% curable, it is possible that one can get rid of it if treated at an early stage. Read on to understand how you can treat the disease with the various methodologies involved.

Chemotherapy

This is a most common cancer cure which kills the diseased cancerous cells by means of drugs. In case of chemotherapy, the drugs destroy the DNA within the tumor cell as a result of which the cell dies. The drugs are given on a particular frequency to ensure that maximum cells are killed over a period of time. As the cells die not immediately but after a period of time after the chemotherapeutic process, repeated doses are required so as to reduce their numbers. The drugs in the chemotherapeutic process are normally administered through IV or injection, though sometimes pills and creams are also used. Chemotherapy is most of the time used as a follow-up treatment mode after surgery though is used as initial treatment option in cases of advanced levels. Though it is a common method of treatment, the side effects caused by chemotherapy needs to be taken into account before proceeding with it. The treatment can create side effects like fatigue, loss of weight, hair loss, bleeding, swelling, anaemia, appetite loss, constipation, etc.

Biologic Therapy

The basic underlying fact that the immune system can fight the disease and prevent it from spreading is used in this kind of cancer cure. Substances that occur naturally in our body are given back to our system to improve the immune system. The different modes of therapy include stimulation of body conditions to produce more of the natural substance or man-made alterations and production of the natural substance which is then given back to the body. This method is also known as biological response modifiers or immunotherapy, etc. Though natural substances are administered to the body, this method also involves side effects which might be due to the excessive production of the substance by the body. These biologic substances are given into a patient's body by intra-venous, intra-muscular, injection or through under the skin methods.

Radiation Oncology

This cancer cure mode involves the use of high energy radiations which penetrate into the body and destroys the cancerous cells. The radiations are mostly specific to abnormal cell that rapidly reproduce though it also at times destroys normal cells. The radiations destroy the cell DNA structure thus preventing them from reproduction. Hence this method helps eliminate the abnormal cells or put a stop to their rapid growth and spread. To eliminate or diminish the effects caused by the radiation therapy, the dosages are normally spread across in small quantities over a period of time.

Radiation therapy is a kind of local therapy where in the rays are concentrated more on the diseased areas and not spread throughout the body like chemotherapy which becomes a systematic therapy. Depending on the way they are administered, the radiation therapy is of two types, external radiation therapy and the internal or Brach therapy. In the external method, the radiation is given to the patient by means of a device kept outside the patient's body. Sometimes, radioactive substances are sent inside the body and the radiations concentrated near the diseased area and such cases are known as internal radiation therapy. Substances like radioactive iodine are used as radioactive materials in cases of internal radiation therapy methods.

Surgical Oncology

This is the branch of surgery that deals with surgical management of cancer. Many times removal of cancerous tumors or areas can help prevent the spread of the disease and can bring in a cure for it. The recent branch of medicine has bought in cryosurgery methods where the extreme cold created by liquid nitrogen is used to destroy the cancer cells. The cryosurgery can be used for both external and internal tumors by different ways of administration.

Targeted Therapies

When drugs prevent the growth of cancer cells by modifying the specific molecules involved in the tumor growth, they are said to be targeted cancer therapies. They concentrate more on the molecular and cellular changes that are associated with the cancer cell thus being more effective than the other traditional methods. The focus that is bought in by these drugs also reduces the damage done to other normal cells. This is a cutting edge technology which deals with the drugs and destroys cell development. With medical advancement in full swing, more and more targeted therapies are currently in the research phase in clinical labs. These targeted therapies work in a planned manner where they focus and block cell proteins which guide the cell on cell multiplication and co-ordination. Thus without the signal on how to divide, the cells die and this process is known as apoptosis. Sometimes these drugs also improve the immune system and make the body find the cells and destroy them directly.

The above list of methods for cancer cure is just the top of the iceberg as modern medicine has introduced many more treatment options specific to each kind of cancer. Treatments like gene therapy, hormone therapy, photodynamic therapy, proton therapy and vaccine therapy are other different ways of handling the disease. You can talk to your physician about all these kinds of cancer cure methods and the side effects each pose. Your physician will be able to select the best one for you based on factors like the type and size of tumor along with the level to which the disease has spread.

Other than these, complementary medicines also offer many natural cure for cancer and you can always consult an experienced and licensed practitioner for the available options. But remember to inform your health physician of any alternative medications that you adhere to as they might have effects on the disease and your body.

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