Visiting an Oncologist for Personalized Cancer Treatment

When most people think of cancer treatment, they think of chemotherapy. However, this is only one of many treatment options available. An oncologist can provide personalized cancer treatment that aims to remove and kill the cancer, as well as to prevent it from coming out of remission.

Understanding personalized cancer treatment

Cancer treatment is not one size fits all. An oncologist will tailor treatment to each patient, keeping their personal and family medical history in mind. Other factors that influence a patient’s treatment plan include their risk factors, cancer type, and size and location of the tumor. These customizations make for a more comprehensive treatment, making better health outcomes more likely. Further, the patient will not be in the dark at any step of the way. Personalized care starts with risk prevention and extends through diagnosis, treatment, and cancer recurrence prevention.

How is it different from traditional cancer treatment?

The primary difference between traditional and personalized cancer treatment is that, with the former, all patients with a certain type of cancer would be given the same treatment. This is an issue because everyone is different due to various factors. For instance, genetics play a role in how well the body responds to a certain treatment. Even cancers have different genetic makeups that must be taken into account during treatment. Personalized treatment considers these differences and uses them to create a more targeted treatment plan.

Personalized treatment types: Local vs. systemic

The American Cancer Society categorizes cancer treatments into two main groups: local and systemic. Local treatments focus on a specific area, typically a tumor, of the body. Surgery to remove the tumor is an example of local treatment. On the other hand, systemic treatments are those that, while done as a cancer treatment, affect the rest of the body as well. Chemotherapy and other drug therapies fall into this category.

An oncologist can determine which type of cancer treatment would be more likely to benefit the patient. Whether a local or systemic treatment, it will be tailored to fit the patient. It is also common to use these treatments together. For example, an oncologist may recommend surgically removing a tumor and then starting chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Common local treatments

Local cancer treatments include surgery and radiation therapy. An oncologist may perform surgery to remove a tumor, part of a tumor (to “debulk” it), or to support other treatments (supportive surgery). With supportive surgery, the goal is to make other treatments more accessible. An example is implanting a vascular access device to make placing an IV easier.

With radiation therapy, an oncologist uses beams of radiation to kill cancer cells via their DNA. The radiation is usually a type of X-ray. This treatment approach can prevent cancer cells from multiplying in patients with active cancer and stop them from returning in patients in remission. It also helps to debulk large tumors.

Systemic treatments

This type of personalized cancer treatment involves using specific drugs, such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Although each of these drug therapies solely treats cancer, they all affect the body as a whole. Take chemotherapy, for example. It targets cancer cells but also affects healthy cells that grow rapidly, like those in the hair follicles and digestive tract. That is why hair loss and vomiting are common side effects.

However, systemic treatments remain crucial in killing cancer cells. They are effective in shrinking tumors so surgeons can safely remove them and in killing any cancer cells left over after removing a tumor. Other drug therapies do the same. Thus, they are often the key to helping a patient go into remission.

Consulting an oncologist for personalized cancer treatment

Patients interested in personalized cancer treatment should consult an oncologist. To help in creating a personalized treatment plan, patients should arrive at the consultation prepared to answer questions regarding their personal medical history, family medical history, allergies, current medications, and similar details. They should also be prepared to undergo diagnostic tests and genetic testing. Comprehensive testing allows for comprehensive treatment. 

Once evaluation, testing, and diagnosis are complete, the oncologist can then move on to discussing which therapies may be best suited to the patient. While it is common to receive a combination of local and systemic treatments, some patients only need one type of treatment to enter remission. The oncologist can also discuss each treatment and what it may look like for the patient as an individual.

Schedule your first appointment today

Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center provides personalized cancer treatment to patients in Marlton and the surrounding areas. Whether you have already been diagnosed or are experiencing symptoms, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Request an appointment here: https://lindenbergcancer.com or call Lindenberg Cancer & Hematology Center at (856) 475-0876 for an appointment in our Marlton office.

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