Cancer Treatment

A male doctor talks with a senior male patient in his hospital room.Cancer treatment can take many different forms and will depend on the type of cancer you have, its location in your body and what stage the cancer has reached. It is important to have an open and honest dialogue with your doctor about your treatment plan, the goals of treatment and what side effects you may expect.

The most common treatments for cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. These may be used in conjunction with one another, or separately. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be used first to reduce the size of a tumor prior to surgery, or surgery may be performed to remove as much of the cancer as possible before undergoing chemotherapy or radiation.

Other types of cancer treatment include:

  • Targeted therapy - the use of drugs that specifically attack cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy cells
  • Immunotherapy - also called biologic therapy, this uses a person's own immune system to fight cancer
  • Hormone therapy - this stops the body from making hormones, causing cancer cells to grow more slowly or die

Additional Treatment Resources

The American Cancer Society offers a wide array of resources and helpful tools to assist individuals undergoing cancer treatment and their loved ones. You can learn more about:

Cancer Treatment in the Tampa Bay Area - Oncology Services from BayCare

BayCare is proud to provide cancer care and support for individuals throughout the Tampa Bay area. If you would like to learn more about the services we offer, please call (855) 314-8346, find a doctor near you or visit any of the facilities listed below:

You can learn more by visiting the facilities listed below:

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