Cancer treatment comprises the use of medications, radiation and surgery to cure, reduce or stop the progression of cancer.
There are several treatment options for cancer available. The treatment selection is based on the following criteria:
- Type and extent of tumour involvement (tumour factor, staging)
- Treatment goals
- Patient characteristics (health status, age, co-morbids)
- Evidence and guidelines
- Patient preference
- Cost
Radiosurgery
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a non-invasive neurosurgery procedure. It is
the Gold Standard in radiosurgery treatment for individuals with small to medium brain tumors,
abnormal blood vessel formations, and more.
Gamma Knife ICON is a state-of-the-art radiosurgery machine which allows specialists to
treat brain tumor and other conditions with less complications. ...
Radiosurgery is is a form of stereotactic radiotherapy. It
is not considered a surgery in the traditional sense as it does not involve incisions.
In Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, the term "knife" refers to 192 focused radiation beams
that target tumours and other abnormalities, gradually shrinking them or halting their growth.
These radiation beams are precisely focused and directed to the diseased brain tissues while
sparing the surrounding healthy tissues.
This groundbreaking technology allows physicians to operate on a tumor or other
abnormality in the brain that is too hard to reach with standard neurosurgery.
Learn more about Gamma Knife Radiosurgery at Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia’s first hospital with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery since 2014.
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Elekta Versa HD - Linear Accelerator (LINAC)
Elekta Versa HD - Linear Accelerator (LINAC) provide advanced radiation
therapy system such as:
- Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)
- Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT)
- Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)
- Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS)
- Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT)
- Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)
...
Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, uses high doses of
radiation to destroy cancer cells and reduce the size of tumours. At high doses, radiation
therapy destroys the DNA of cancer cells, which either kills them or limits their growth. Cancer
cells with DNA that are damaged beyond repair, either stop proliferating or die. When these
damaged cells die, they are broken down and eliminated by the body.
The types of radiation therapy include:
- 3-Dimensioned Conformal Radiation Therapy (3DRT): By using radiation
beams that mimic the shape of the tumour, 3DRT is able to precisely target the tumour
while avoiding the healthy surrounding tissue.
- Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT): IMRT employs radiation beams
that are split into smaller beamlets of varying radiation intensity to deliver varied
radiation doses across the tumour.
- Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT): IGRT uses frequent imaging during
radiotherapy to improve the precision and accuracy of radiation delivery.
- Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT): VMAT also known as Rapid Arc, involves
the use of a machine, which rotates around the patient in an arc shape. The machine
changes the shape and intensity of the beam constantly while moving around the body to
improve accuracy and decrease the treatment time.
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Surgery
Cancer surgery is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of
tumours. While it may be among the oldest forms of cancer treatment, it remains effective in the
treatment of many forms of cancer.
In contrast to open surgery, MIS employs a number of techniques to perform surgeries
with less injury or damage to the body. This is accomplished by making the smallest incisions
possible to access the site of surgery....
These procedures are typically accomplished by placing
trocars and ports at the sites of the incisions and surgery is accomplished with extended
instruments inserted via these small ports. Large incisions were typically used in surgery to
provide easy access and visibility. But MIS has now evolved to the stage where it can carry out
many of the known open procedure.
MIS offers several benefits such as:
- Shorter hospital stay
- Faster recovery
- Better cosmesis
- Lesser pain
- Lesser blood loss
- Cost-effective
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Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that utilises drugs to kill
cancer cells. The medications may be administered orally or intravenously. Different types of drugs
may be administered simultaneously or sequentially.
Chemotherapy, which is used to treat
many types of cancer, works by slowing or stopping the rapid growth and proliferation of cancer
cells....
Chemotherapy may be used with other treatments
to:
- Reduce the size of a tumour prior to surgery or radiation therapy (neoadjuvant
chemotherapy)
- Kill cancer cells that may still be present after surgery or radiation therapy (adjuvant
chemotherapy)
- Increase the efficiency of other treatments
- Kill cancer cells that have returned or spread to other parts of the body
One form of chemotherapy, Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), delivers
chemotherapy straight to the abdominal cavity. Patients who undergo HIPEC have been found to
have higher survival rates and longer remission periods.
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Hormonal Therapy
Hormone therapy is a treatment used to slow or stop the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and uterine cancer. This therapy uses medications to block or reduce the levels of hormones of the body....
Hormone therapy when used with other cancer treatments can:
- Reduce the size of a tumour prior to surgery or radiation therapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy).
- Kill cancer cells that may still be present after surgery or radiation therapy (adjuvant chemotherapy).
- Kill cancer cells that have returned or spread to other parts of the body.
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Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that assists the immune system fight
cancer. It uses substances created by the body or in a lab to boost the immune system's ability to
attack cancer cells....
Immunotherapy functions via:
- Slowing or stopping the development of cancer cells
- Preventing the spread of cancer to other areas of the body
- Enhancing the ability of the immune system to eliminate cancer cells
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Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is a form of cancer treatment that targets proteins
responsible for the growth, proliferation and spread of cancer cells.
While standard chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells and some healthy cells,
targeted therapy focuses on specific targets (molecules) in cancer cells.
...
These targets affect the development and survival of cancer cells. Targeted therapy may kill the
cancer cell directly. Through targeted therapy, monoclonal antibodies target and mark these
molecules, allowing the cancer cells to be better identified and killed by the immune system.
Other monoclonal antibodies directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells or trigger their
destruction.
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Some cancer patients may only receive one treatment. However, the majority of patients receive a combination of
therapies. It is normal to feel confused and overwhelmed when thinking about cancer treatments. However, you can
speak to your doctors to learn
more about the type of treatments available to help you feel in check.
Visit Your Nearest Gleneagles Hospital to Learn More about Our Oncology Services
