Cancer Treatments And Treatments For Side Effects
Posted on: 12 December 2018
Just about any type of cancer is difficult to accept and even more difficult to treat. If you are currently facing a diagnosis of cancer, but you have not as of yet received the results of the tests from your doctor, you might be wondering what your options are. Depending on the type of cancer, there may be multiple options for you. There are also many side effects to each, and treatments for the side effects. The following will provide you with a basic description of treatments, side effects, and treatments for the side effects.
An -Ectomy
An -ectomy is the removal of something. In this case, it is the removal of the body part with cancer. For example, a mastectomy is the removal of breast tissue. A nephrectomy is the removal of a kidney. An oophorectomy is the removal of an ovary. You get the idea. Generally, if you can live without the diseased body part, the doctor will remove it. Side effects may include a swing in hormones if the body part is an endocrine or exocrine gland, an increase in the need to urinate if it is part of the urinary system, deeper, more frequent breaths when you lose a lung, etc.. The body will eventually adjust, but your doctor can also prescribe medications that can help.
Chemotherapy
Advances in chemotherapy now make it possible to provide this treatment without making people feel even more ill than they are. Lighter doses of the chemotherapy drugs given over a longer period of time have proven just as effective as previous treatment practices. Side effects do cause some hair loss, loss of appetite, vomiting, nausea, and fatigue. To treat the side effects, you can request (free of charge) wigs and head coverings, medications that can treat the nausea and vomiting, and B vitamins to give you a boost of energy.
Radiation
Radiation radiates special rays through the cancer zone, killing the cancer cells. Unfortunately, it also kills healthy cells with it. Side effects include skin patches that are dry, painfully red, and which tend to scar. Special creams prescribed by your doctor can be applied to the radiated areas to help with these symptoms.
Cures
There are a few cancer cures, but they are only for specific cancers. If you have been diagnosed with a cancer that has a cure, ask your doctor about the cure. You may have to pay for it out of pocket because not all insurance companies will cover it.
For more information, reach out to cancer treatment centers like the Silver Cancer Institute.
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