What are the Non-Surgical Options for Cancer Treatment?

Cancer, a global health problem, is responsible for one in six deaths worldwide. In 2020, almost 19.3 million new cancer cases and about 10 million cancer deaths globally were reported. 

Over 25% of cancer patients will require non-surgical cancer treatments as part of their treatment, whether with curative, palliative, or adjuvant intent. The range of non-surgical cancer treatment modalities has expanded extensively in the last two decades to include cytotoxic chemotherapy, hormone treatments, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and many monoclonal antibodies and small molecule inhibitors. 

When you need cancer treatment, you have a lot to learn and think about, but talking to your doctor and learning about different types of treatment will help you with the same.

What Non-Surgical Options Are Available for Cancer Treatment?

Some of the non-surgical options for cancer treatment are mentioned below:

1. Chemotherapy (Chemo): Chemotherapy stops/slows the growth of cancerous cells, which grow and divide quickly. It is used to treat many types of cancer. For some patients, chemotherapy may be the only treatment they receive, but mostly, they will have chemotherapy with other cancer treatments.
2. Hormone Therapy (Hormone Therapy, Hormone Treatment, or Endocrine Therapy): Hormone therapy treats cancers that use hormones to grow, such as some prostate and breast cancers. It slows/stops the growth of cancer that uses hormones to grow. Since, it is is mostly used along with other cancer treatments, hence the cost of hormone therapy in India may incur additional cost.
3. Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy, a type of biological therapy, helps the immune system fight cancer. Immunotherapy drugs have been approved to treat different types of cancer. However, immunotherapy is not as widely used as chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy. 
4. Radiation Therapy (Radiotherapy): Radiation therapy kills/slows cancer cells by damaging their DNA. It uses high radiation doses to kill the cancerous cells and shrink tumors. 
5. Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy aims to control cancer cells' growth, division, and spread by targeting specific proteins. Such therapies are either small-molecule drugs or monoclonal antibodies.
6. Hyperthermia (Thermal Therapy, Thermal Ablation, or Thermotherapy): Hyperthermia is a cancer treatment in which the affected body tissue is heated up to 113°F to damage and kill cancer cells without harming the normal ones. However, this treatment is not commonly available, and only a few medical centers offer it, along with other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, especially for advanced cancers. Hyperthermia has been used to treat these types of advanced cancers, such as appendix cancer, brain cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, etc. 

To Summarize

The non-surgical options for cancer treatment are alternative approaches that go beyond surgery. From targeted therapies and immunotherapy, these methods treat cancer without invasive procedures. Always consult with your doctor to determine the most suitable non-surgical options for your specific cancer condition.