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Surgery
According to the American Cancer Society, about 60 percent of people
with cancer will have some form of surgery, where surgeons attempt
to remove as much of the malignant (cancerous) tumor as possible.
It’s the oldest form of treating cancer and often used in combination
with radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
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Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer
and is used in more than half of all cancer cases. In it, high-energy
particles or waves, such as X-rays or gamma rays, are used to destroy
or damage cancer cells. Doctors often use radiation therapy before
surgery to shrink a tumor, or after surgery to prevent any remaining
cancer cells from growing.
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Brachytherapy
Brachytherap, or radioactive seed implants
is one of the most advanced and effective ways of treating prostate
cancer. It’s a minimally invasive procedure in which tiny radioactive
seeds about the size of rice grains are implanted directly into
the prostate. This allows radiation to precisely attack the tumor,
sparing surrounding tissue from radiation exposure. Because there
is no incision – seeds are placed with hollow needles – patients
are usually sent home the same day.
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Three-dimensional
radiation therapy
With three-dimensional radiation therapy, a sophisticated computer
system constructs a 3-D model of the patient’s tumor, accurately
depicting its shape, size and precise location. Radiation beams
are then positioned to conform to the shape and size of the tumor
and aggressively attack it from several directions. The McGivney
Center was one of the first hospitals in Connecticut to offer this
therapy.
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Stereotactic
radiosurgery
Also called a “gamma knife,” stereotactic radiosurgery is a remarkable
new technique that allows doctors to treat brain tumors without
ever making an incision. A sophisticated computer system is used
to construct a 3-D model of the patient’s tumor and mark its exact
location. Radiation beams are then aimed at the tumor from several
directions, aggressively attacking the tumor, but sparing surrounding
brain tissue from radiation exposure.
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Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer. These drugs are
taken orally or intravenously and travel throughout the body, destroying
cancers cells that may have spread away from the original tumor
site. Most chemotherapy treatments consist of more than one drug.
This is called combination chemotherapy. Chemotherapy can be administered
in pill form or intravenously, or both.
Chemotherapy treatments are offered in our HOIT (Hematology/Oncology
Infusion Therapy) Unit from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Call (203)
789-3345.
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Hormone therapy
In hormone therapy, drugs are used to interfere with hormone production,
or hormone actions, to kill cancer cells or slow cancer growth.
These drugs are taken orally or intravenously as part of chemotherapy,
and usually in conjunction with other forms of treatment, such as
surgery or radiation therapy.
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This page was
last updated on 05/03/2001 |
