Cancer Treatments

Cancer treatments depend on several factors including the type of cancer; size, location, and stage of the disease; and a person’s general health. We develop treatment plans designed to fit each person’s unique situation. These plans include surgery, medical oncology (chemotherapy), and radiation oncology. Each treatment method can be used by itself or in combination with the others.

Surgery

Approximately half of all cancer-related diagnosis involve surgery as the first course of treatment. Specially trained surgeons work together with physicians at the Regional Cancer Care Institute. These physicians include general surgeons, thoracic surgeons, urologists, orthopedists, neurosurgeons, gynecologists, and ear, nose, and throat specialists.  

Surgery is performed to remove tumors and any nearby tissues suspected of containing cancerous cells. In some cases, surgeons will remove healthy tissues to keep the cancer from spreading. At other times, surgeons remove lymph nodes near a tumor to determine if the cancer has spread. The type of surgery depends largely on upon the type of cancer, the location, and the extent of the disease at the time of surgery.