There are three different ways through which medical oncology works on cancer treatment. The first one is chemotherapy, which is perhaps one of the most well known methods. Chemotherapy is a process of administrating drugs to kill cancerous cells. Such drugs or medicines are given through intravenous injections or pills in certain combinations. In a typical intravenous chemotherapy technique, oncologists use a catheter and insert it through the chest into a large vein of the heart to provide the recommended dose of chemicals to attack the cancerous cells spreading through the system. Depending on the complexities of a case, chemotherapy sessions could span over three to six months. Recovery from chemotherapy takes considerable time and there are quite a few side-effects involved in the process. The second method used most frequently by medical oncologists to treat cancer is known as hormone therapy. Otherwise known as the endocrine-based therapy, hormone therapy tends to work on cancer types that are sensitive to certain hormones of the body. Breast, ovarian and prostrate cancer are some examples of cancer types that are affected by the hormones. In such cases, medical oncologists put patients on special drugs that regulate the production of hormones. This results in the reduction of cancerous cells that are dependant on specific hormones for their growth. The hormone therapy is at times focused on particular hormones only to address the needs of a case. In comparison with chemotherapy, hormone therapy has a lower number of side-effects on the body. The third method employed by oncologists is called the molecular therapy. Drugs utilized in the course of molecular therapy have a direct impact on the growth of cancerous cells. These drugs work on the system of molecular signals that is responsible for enabling the cells to grow and divide. If this system is interfered with, it stops sending signals to the cells which prevents their further growth. This helps oncologists control cancerous cells to a certain extent.
How much time does it take to recover from medical oncology?
Recovery from medical oncology can vary greatly among the patients of cancer. The reason for this is the difference in the number of complexities involved in a case. Moreover, the treatment administered in the sphere of medical oncology spans over some cycles. After the completion of one cycle of treatment with specific drugs, your oncologist will monitor your conditions and in accordance with his observation, he may recommend another cycle of medicines. Therefore, it is the seriousness of your condition that determines the time of your recovery period. Read the full story
