27/02/2026
Cancer treatment plans are personalized based on factors like cancer type, stage, location, overall health, and patient goals. Here are common treatment methods and recent advances:
Common Treatments
- Surgery: Removes tumors and nearby affected tissue. It can be used alone or with other treatments, and may also relieve tumor-related symptoms.
- Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells, which can be given orally or intravenously. It is often combined with other therapies.
- Radiation Therapy: Uses high-energy beams (external) or radioactive substances (internal) to target and destroy cancer cells, which can shrink tumors before surgery or eliminate remaining cells after surgery.
- Hormone Therapy: Slows or stops the growth of hormone-dependent cancers (e.g., breast, prostate cancer) by blocking or lowering hormone levels.
- Immunotherapy: Enhances the immune system's ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. CAR-T cell therapy is a type that reprograms immune cells for better defense.
- Targeted Therapy: Focuses on specific genetic changes or proteins in cancer cells to inhibit growth and spread with less harm to healthy cells.
- Stem Cell Transplant: Restores blood-forming stem cells damaged by high-dose chemotherapy or radiation, commonly used for blood cancers.
- Palliative Care: Manages symptoms and side effects to improve quality of life during and after treatment, applicable to all stages of cancer.
Recent Advances
- New Drugs: In February 2026, Braftovi in combination with cetuximab and mFOLFOX6 was traditionally approved for metastatic colorectal cancer with BRAF V600E mutation. Other drugs like Epkinly and Imdelltra also received traditional approval in 2025.
- Innovative Surgical Techniques: The FDA-approved robotic nipple-sparing mastectomy improves cosmetic outcomes for breast cancer patients.
- Novel Therapies: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy shows promise for metastatic gastrointestinal cancers; engineered fat cells may "starve" tumors; and AI tools can predict immunotherapy responses.
- Radiotherapy Innovations: Carbon ion therapy is being developed to enhance treatment effectiveness and reduce side effects.
It is important to note that cancer treatment is a complex process, and patients should work closely with their healthcare team to develop a personalized treatment
