World Cancer Day

Every year on February 4th, the world observes World Cancer Day. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about cancer. A broad category of illnesses known as cancer can impact any organ or tissue in the body. It describes the uncontrollably dividing cells that grow abnormally. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are the main cancer treatment modalities. There is a growing trend in cancer treatment towards multimodality care.

Medication is given orally or intravenously during chemotherapy. The goal is to target cancer cells by distributing the medication throughout the body. Because it can reach cancer cells both locally and at distant places, this treatment is also known as a systemic approach.

Radiation therapy treats the local spot with extreme focus. It functions by causing damage to cancer cells' DNA. High-energy rays or particles are precisely aimed at the tumor or other vulnerable areas during radiation treatment. It's a focused, localized process that mainly targets the area of the body that receives the radiation treatment.

Radiation therapy can be administered alone, in conjunction with surgery or chemotherapy, or, in more advanced cases, as palliative care, depending on the location of the tumor. At some time during the course of their total treatment, radiation therapy would be necessary in between 60% and 70% of all cancer cases.

Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, or a mix of these will be chosen depending on the type of cancer, its stage, and the specific characteristics of the patient. Each treatment has a unique set of benefits and adverse effects and the appropriate course of action in each situation must be determined by speaking with a licensed medical expert. The majority of hospitals have set up tumor boards where a team decides on the best course of action and sequence of care for a specific patient and disease site.

Written by: Rtr. Umar Ismail