Treatment
Now maybe you’ve been diagnosed with cancer. Now what? The first step is to accept that you have cancer. Being sad, scared, confused, or in denial is natural, but after that, the first step must be acceptance. Once you accept that you have cancer, you will feel better and more free as now you know your enemy. The next step after that is treatment – the actual fight against cancer.
~Types of Cancer Treatment~
Surgery:
–Surgery is mostly applicable when the tumor is only in one part of the body. Doctors will usually use surgery if the tumor has not grown out very far and can remove almost all of the cancer cells. Usually, after surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be applicable to make sure that any cancer cells that escaped from the tumor are killed. If
–If the cancer is more advanced, surgery is usually used to take off a part of it that may be blocking vital organs.
–To read more about surgery in Hindi, click here (https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/surgery-for-cancer.pdf).
Chemotherapy:
–Chemotherapy drugs target all cells in the body, not just cancer cells. (This is also the reason for why hair loss occurs during chemo.) The medicines used in chemotherapy are dangerous to all cells, since they stop cells from dividing and reproducing. Cancer cells reproduce faster, so they are attacked more by chemo than the body’s own cells. The body’s cells will die also, but not as much as the cancer cells, and they will grow back afterwards.
–Chemotherapy is usually done to eliminate cancer cells in conjunction with surgery or other therapies. Chemo is able to quickly kill fast-growing cancer cells. For advanced cancers, chemo is used to ease the pain by actively destroying cancer in areas of the body near vital organs. Chemo can be taken orally or through injections in different parts of the body. From there the chemo is spread all around the body. Chemotherapy doses are usually taken in cycles every 1, 2, or 3 weeks.
–To read more about chemotherapy in Hindi, click here (https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/chemotherapy-for-cancer.pdf).
Radiation Therapy:
–Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles like x-rays to destroy cancer cells. The radiation causes the cells’ insides to break apart, making it hard for the cell to divide and replicate. Unlike chemotherapy, radiation therapy is used in only one location on the body. For advanced cancer, radiation may be used on the whole body, yet still mainly affects the tumor only.
–Radiation can be used to shrink early-stage tumors as well as to ease the pain of advanced cancers. It is also usually taken in cycles like chemotherapy.
–To read more about radiation therapy in Hindi, click here (https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/radiation-therapy-for-cancer.pdf).
Immunotherapy:
–There are many types of cancer immunotherapy, yet all of them try to make the immune system more susceptible to detecting cancer cells. Cancer cells are abnormal and it is hard for your body’s regular cells to recognize them. Immunotherapy tries to combat this so that cancer cells are easily found and attacked by the immune system. Immunotherapy is different from other types of treatment as the body is being taught how to fight cancer, and so the tumor is being attacked by the body’s own cells only.
–There are many types of immunotherapy, and all are applicable for different types of cancer.
–To read more about immunotherapy in Hindi, click here (https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/immunotherapy-for-cancer.pdf).
Targeted Therapy:
–Targeted therapy allows the cancer cells to be killed without affecting any normal body cells, unlike chemotherapy. Since all cancer cells have some differences, there are some types of cancer cells that have a special protein/enzyme inside them. Some cancer cells also have different ways of growing. Targeted medicines can be created by finding chemicals that can affect these changes in the cancer cells’ growth, so the cell will die.
–Although targeted therapy has less side effects and doesn’t affect normal cells, it is not used for most cancers since patterns in the growth of most types of cancer cells haven’t been found.
–To read more about targeted therapy in Hindi, click here (https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/cancer-control/en/booklets-flyers/targeted-therapy-for-cancer.pdf).
Other methods:
–Other types of less-used cancer treatments include stem cell transplant, hormone therapy, biosimilar drugs, and more. You can see leading cancer institutes’ websites or, even better, ask your doctor for more information.
–Here is one website with more information: https://onco.com/blog/types-of-cancer-treatment-in-hindi/
During cancer treatment, there is no special diet or routine that is best for everyone. Instead, you should try to do whatever you feel is the most comfortable for your body. There is no “best diet” during cancer, yet fruits and vegetables that can give you energy are always good. Our personal experience was that eating with non-metal utensils and eating green, leafy vegetables helped a lot. Making a little "schedule" for what to eat is good too. Maintaining some level of exercise, if possible, is also very good as you will be able to keep your body in good shape. Asking your doctor questions is also very important during this part of cancer. It is necessary that you know the treatment you’re taking and how it will affect you so that you can feel confident as you fight cancer! Doctors can give you much more personalized information than you could ever find online. So, ask questions and listen to your doctor.
~The Psychological Perspective on Treatment~
Physical stability during cancer isn’t the only important thing. Being mentally and socially healthy is also important. Cancer can be very scary and seem threatening, and can feel more painful if your mind isn’t strong. During treatment, depression, anxiety, and other emotions may take over as you feel psychological stress. But, remember that the most important thing to think about is hope. Remember: ‘While there’s life, there’s hope’. There is life after cancer, and all you have to do is conquer the treatment process. Mental strength is the key to doing this.
Some ways to increase this mental strength and enjoy the moments during treatment are: talking to friends or family members, talking to your doctor, staying active, and just being confident. Stay in the present and don't think too much; just go with the flow.
Remember, you aren’t alone. Your family and doctors are there to support you. But you must fight cancer yourself, with the help of others. Think of cancer as just another hurdle in your life. You can do it!
Another way to feel stronger during cancer treatment is to hear the stories of other people who went through treatment as well. They can help you relate and are also uplifting and hopeful! We have made a small collection of such “stories” here (click below) for you to see.