The prevalence of cancer has rapidly grown over the years, with the mortality rate rising to hundreds of thousands. This has spurred the need for effective cancer treatment and screening services to diagnose cancer at its onset stages and improve the quality of life for patients. Cancer stems from abnormal reproduction and growth in the body, a condition that can develop in various parts of your body, including breasts, colon, stomach, and skin. Thanks to oncology in Sebring, patients with cancer signs and symptoms can get screened, and those with the ongoing condition can get comprehensive treatment.
What is Oncology?
Oncology is a general term referring to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of all types of cancer. The medical personnel involved in this branch of medicine is called an oncologist. The major three areas in oncology include medical, surgical, and radiation. Different types of treatment are involved for each site. A medical oncologist destroys cancer cells using immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. A surgical oncologist detects cancer cells using biopsies and removes cancerous tumors during surgery, while a radiation oncologist uses radiation therapy to treat cancer. Below are the various treatment services involved in oncology.
Chemotherapy
This drug treatment involves using powerful chemicals to destroy and kill cancer cells in the body. Chemotherapy can be the sole treatment for cancer patients or can be used after other treatment methods to destroy the remaining cancer cells. The side effects of chemotherapy vary from patient to patient, from mild to severe, depending on the drugs. The common side effects that previous patients have reported include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, hair loss, fatigue, and loss of appetite. The type of drugs your doctor may recommend depends on the type and cancer stage, general health, and your preference.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses high energy to destroy the genetic material that causes abnormal cell growth and reproduction. Although healthy cells can get destroyed during treatment, radiation therapy aims to kill more cancer cells and a few normal cells in your body. Your doctor may recommend this treatment at different stages of cancer treatment. It can be used before surgery – neoadjuvant and after surgery – adjuvant therapy. Patients may get side effects depending on the body part exposed to radiation and the amount of energy used. These side effects include shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and bladder irritation.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy involves the use of natural body substances to boost the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The natural body’s defense responds to this treatment by slowing down or stopping the growth of cancer cells. Immunotherapy can be used as the sole treatment or can be combined with other cancer treatments. This treatment is available in different types such as T-cell therapy, cancer vaccines, oncolytic virus therapy, and monoclonal antibodies. Your doctor recommends treatment based on various factors, including the type of cancer, its stage, location, general health, body weight, and age.
To learn more about oncology and how you can benefit from the same, consult with your doctor at Florida Lakes Surgical.