Cancer Treatments
We will split cancer treatments into two groups of treatments:
- Cancer treatments
- Symptom control treatments
As part of holistic care other therapies may be offered.
Cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biological therapy and radiotherapy, all of which aim to remove, kill or reduce growth of cancer cells.
For any given cancer, a range of treatments will be available; the treating doctor chooses treatment options based on an assessment of how well the treatment will work, what the side effects of the treatment will be and whether the patient is physically strong enough to benefit from the treatment. It follows that the questions posed at the treatment planning clinic are -:
- What are the benefits of the treatment?
- What are the side effects of the treatment?
- Is the patient fit enough to have the treatment?
These questions effectively cover the risks and benefits of treatment, which must be carefully discussed with patients before they can decide between treatment options and consent to undertake cancer treatment.
Aim of treatment
The aim of treatment is always to cure the cancer – to give a person the best possible chance of regaining health and to prevent the cancer from ever coming back. By regaining health we mean to recover completely with no residual disabling effects. Where a cure is not possible the aim of treatment is to prolong active good quality life for as long as possible, this means that very disabling side effects of treatment are not acceptable in the way that they might be if a cure was sought. Research into control of side effects of treatment continues and the experience of chemotherapy is very different compared to twenty years ago. Better control of side effects means that chemotherapy has become easier to comply with for patients undergoing curative treatment and more toxic (and effective) regimes can be given in a palliative care setting, maintaining or enhancing quality of life for longer periods towards the end of life.
What is quality of life and how is it measured?
Many clinical trials assess the effect of cancer and its treatment on the quality of life. These studies measure aspects of an individual’s sense of well-being and their ability to carry out various activities. This is usually done using standard questionnaires designed to assess a person’s ability to carry out activities of daily living; their feelings about themselves and their future and their relationships with those around them.
