Conventional Therapies
Treatment currently accepted and widely used for certain types of disease, based on the results of past research. Also called conventional therapy.
The group of health professionals working together to treat and assist patients with cancer is called "working against cancer." Among the members of this team you can find some or all of the health professionals listed below:
- GPs.
- Pediatrics.
- Pathologists.
- Hematologists.
- Specialists in oncology (radiation oncologist, medical oncology, surgical oncologist).
- Surgeons (including urologists, gynecologists, neurosurgeons and other specialists).
- Nurses.
- Oncology nurses.
- Oncology social workers.
- Pharmaceutical products.
- Chaplains (for pastoral care).
- Respiratory therapists.
- Physiotherapists.
- Laboratory technicians.
- Child therapists.
- Psychologists.
- Technical radiation.
- Dieticians.
Specific treatment for cancer will be determined by the physician based on:
- Your child's age, overall health and medical history.
- The type of cancer.
- Extent of the disease.
- The development of new treatment options.
- Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies.
- Expectations for the course of the disease.
- Your opinion or preference.
The treatment of certain types of cancer may include:
- The administration of antibiotics (to prevent and treat infections).
- Supportive care (to treat the side effects of treatment, among which include nausea, diarrhea, anemia and ulcers in the mouth).
- Surgery (to remove organs or tumors).
- Placing a central line. The central line is a catheter placed into a large vein to supply the circulatory system. The central line is needed for the introduction of medications or blood products and to provide a place from which to make withdrawals from blood samples in a simple manner without causing pain to the child. There are several different types of central routes which are used for cancer treatment. On your child's physician will explain the benefits of central lines available.
- Follow-up care (to determine response to treatment, detect recurrent disease and monitor treatment effects).
- Biological response modifiers and immunotherapy. Colony stimulating factors, interleukins, monoclonal antibodies, tumor necrosis factor, interferons, cytokines and the development of other biological response modifiers are the latest developments in the fight against cancer. Typically, many of these switches are in the body and assist the immune system in protecting the body against invasion.
In addition, doctors are using the body's own processes to fight disease. It is likely that in the near future, there is a process that allows the body recognize and destroy cancer cells or filter them out like common viruses.
The two most common methods for treating cancer include chemotherapy and radiotherapy.