Medical oncology focuses on monitoring cancer and delivering cancer treatment with medications. MultiCare Cancer Center's board-certified medical oncology physicians provide diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of all types of cancer, including solid tumors and blood disorders (such as cancers) and bone marrow disorders, including leukemia and lymphoma. Doctors treat patients with the most current anti-cancer drugs and treatment protocols available.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of specialized medicines to treat cancer. There are over 100 chemotherapy drugs, used individually or in various combinations. You and your doctor will decide which drug or combination of drugs, dosages, frequency and length of treatment is best for you. They can also be used in combination with radiation therapy before, during or after treatment. The treatment plan for a patient is referred to as a PROTOCOL.
For additional information regarding chemotherapy treatment at MultiCare Cancer Center, please download our Patient Education handbook or Manual de educatición del paciente.
Depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development, chemotherapy can be used to:
- Cure your cancer.
- Keep the cancer from spreading.
- Slow the cancer's growth.
- Kill cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body from the original tumor (called metastases).
- Relieve symptoms caused by cancer, including pain.
Infusion therapy
Intravenous infusion of medications is a common technique of administering chemotherapy, or water for hydration, directly into a vein using a small flexible catheter (tube). This process allows medication to reach the entire body through the blood stream and bypass the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, where some medications would be broken down and be less able to do their job.
Infused medications can also be given directly into a surgically implanted catheter such as a 'Port-a-cath,' 'Groshong,' 'PIC Line' or Hickman Catheter. Some therapies require the use of a small portable pump to deliver medication through a catheter and then into the blood stream on a continuous basis.
Reviewed 5/24/2023
Cancer: Myth or fact?
There are more than 100 types of cancer, but many of them are treatable—even curable. Some are even preventable. Nearly 4 in 10 adults will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetimes, so it's important to get the facts. Test your cancer knowledge with this quiz.
Myth or fact: Cancer survival rates have not improved since the 1990s.
Myth. Advances in prevention, screening and treatment have increased survival rates for the most common types of cancer. More than half of those living with cancer today were diagnosed 5 or more years ago.
Myth or fact: If no one in your family has had cancer, you won't get it either.
Myth. Only about 5% to 10% of cancers are passed down from parents to their children. Instead, most cancers are caused by genetic mutations that occur over a person's lifetime. For example, smoking can cause these mutations. Still, if cancer is in your family history, your doctor may recommend screening or other prevention options.
Myth or fact: You can become too old to be treated for cancer.
Myth. Decisions about cancer treatment shouldn't be based on age alone. In the U.S., more than half of all cancers occur in people who are 65 and older.
Myth or fact: Chemotherapy is the only option for cancer treatment.
Myth. Chemotherapy, or using drugs to kill cancer cells, is just one option for cancer treatment. Depending on the type of cancer, another type of treatment may be available—such as radiation therapy, surgery or immunotherapy.
Myth or fact: As soon as cancer is detected it must be treated.
Myth. In some cases, cancer may be detected early or appear to be slow-growing. If treatment poses more risk than the cancer itself, a doctor may instead closely monitor the cancer and suggest treatment when signs of growth occur.
In general, cancer that is caught in its earliest stages is easier to treat. Screening tests can help spot cancer early. And there are some things you can look for.
Common signs and symptoms of cancer
Sources: American Cancer Society; American Society of Clinical Oncology; National Cancer Institute