Before the 1900’s very few people survived cancer but with today’s technology and early detection tests more than half of the cancer victims survive the disease. People who have been treated and are free of cancer for five years or more are considered cured.
Three standard methods that are used in the treatment of cancer are surgery, radiation therapy (radiotherapy), and chemotherapy (drug therapy). Sometimes a combination of two or more treatments is used.
Most cancer treatment methods cause undesirable side effects such as scarring or loss of an organ or body part due to surgery, hair loss or skin irritation due to radiation, or nausea or fatigue due to chemotherapy. Side effects are dependent on the individual and the type of treatment used. Most side effects disappear once treatment is completed.