Body

Chemotherapy for Cancer Treatment

The most effective way to treat cancer often includes a combination of various cancer fighting treatment options. Chemotherapy may be one of the most commonly known and recognized terms when in regards to cancer treatment. Chemotherapy can actually be used to treat a variety of different conditions and diseases. When it comes to cancer treatment, chemotherapy is often used with these two intended strategies:

Before Surgery or Radiation

In this strategy, chemotherapy treatments are administered before surgery or radiation therapy in the effort to shrink the tumor to make future procedures safer and more effective. Your doctor may refer to this approach as neoadjuvant therapy.

After Surgery or Radiation

Commonly chemotherapy will be administered after surgery or radiation, which may be referred to by your doctor as adjuvant therapy. This strategy intends to help kill any remaining cancer cells that may have spread to parts of the body away from the original, primary tumor.

Your particular treatment plan may include surgery, radiation therapy, and/or a variety of other treatment options in addition to chemotherapy. You and your oncologist will decide your treatment plan based on your individual case and factors such as:

  • Cancer type
  • The stage of cancer
  • Patient's age
  • Overall health
  • And other physical and emotional factors.

All of which will ultimately help to determine what combination of drugs, how they will be administered, how often and for how long.

Surviving Cancer

Surviving Cancer

If you or a loved one has cancer, count on our experienced physicians, compassionate staff and live-saving technologies to fight the battle, together with you.

Learn more
Cancer Care at Garnet Health

Cancer Care

With advanced diagnostic services, leading-edge treatment, support programs, Garnet Health has everything you need to take on cancer without leaving the Hudson Valley.

Learn more