FrançaisWhat treatments are available?
Cancer being a complex disease, so are the treatments. As mentioned above, some are operable, others are not. Treatments are classified into two categories, either curative (to cure) or palliative (to control/slow down without being able to cure). The role of the oncologist is to administer so-called “systemic” treatments, that is, treatments that circulate throughout the body. In recent years, cancer research has exploded the quantity of different treatments available. Here is a summary of the main lines of these types of treatments:
Chemotherapy
A chemotherapy agent is a toxic drug (poison), which can be given alone (monotherapy) or with other agents. Chemotherapy has been used for decades and can be given at the same time as other types of treatment (radiotherapy, immunotherapy, etc.). It is given as an intravenous infusion, subcutaneous/intramuscular injection or as a pill.
Immunotherapy
Some types of cancer can hide from or weaken the immune system. Immunotherapy, or biological therapy, is a treatment that involves activating (waking up) the immune system to force it to attack the cancer. It is a treatment that, unlike chemotherapy, gives very few side effects in most cases.
Targeted therapy
This type of treatment uses drugs that specifically target molecules or proteins on/in cancer cells. So unlike chemotherapy, which “poisons” all cells (good or bad), targeted therapy generally targets only cancer cells. For some cancers, isolated mutations have been identified and agents have been created to specifically target these mutations. Several types of targeted therapy exist, such as monoclonal antibodies, anti-TK, anti-VEGF etc.
Hormone therapy
Some cancers (breast, prostate) are dependent on natural hormones produced by the human body. Hormone therapy, or rather “anti-hormones” is a treatment that consists of blocking the receptors or the production of hormones to slow down the cancer.
Comfort
Comfort treatments, which can be given alone or in combination with systemic treatments (see above), are treatments that aim to relieve discomfort, such as nausea/vomiting, pain, anxiety, etc. This category includes analgesics, anti-nausea, anxiolytics.
During your meetings, your oncologist will explain the type of treatment that applies to your situation and will discuss in detail the options available, the expected benefits and the potential side effects. All the treatments offered are chosen according to the official recommendations of INESSS and are based on the recommendations of oncology experts, at the Canadian and international level. The multidisciplinary oncology team, including nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, and other specialists (surgeons, radiation oncologists) will ensure that these treatments limit side effects as much as possible while ensuring to always preserve the best possible quality of life.