Common treatments for cancer include:
There are also other forms of treatment depending on cancer type such as biologic therapy, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant, etc. Your oncologist may recommend a combination of treatment options.
Another way to receive treatment is through a clinical trial. For some cancer types, clinical trials may be the best treatment option.
As you and your doctor explore the treatment options open to you, make sure you find out the answers to the following:
- What are all my treatment options?
- Am I eligible for a clinical trial?
- What are the chances my cancer will come back after these treatments?
- What do we do if the cancer comes back or the treatment doesn’t work?
- What are the long-term and short-term side effects of treatment?
- How will my normal activities change as a result of treatment?
When you meet with your doctor, it can be helpful to bring someone else with you. That way, there’s someone else to hear what is said and to ask questions. Here are some other tips for talking with your doctor:
- Write out your questions ahead of time.
- Write down the answers your doctor gives you.
- If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor to say it in a different way. It’s important that you understand, and you have a right to know.