Treating cancer is no easy task, and requires skilled professionals and high-quality equipment and medication.  Ultimately though, the success of the cancer treatment will depend on the doctor's diagnosis of the patient.  It would be a tragic thing for one form of cancer to be mistaken for another--causing the wrong treatment to be used.  Let's examine topics related to diagnosing and treating tumors, focusing on a lot of the terminology involved.
 
PREVENTION refers to the steps that are taken to keep from getting cancer in the first place.  The old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  This is especially true with a disease like cancer, where the "cure" is often so extreme.  With many cancers, smoking or other use of tobacco as well as a poor diet are major factors in the development of the disease.  By not smoking, changing to a better diet, and getting regular exercise, a person is helping to prevent the onslaught of cancer in the first place.
 
EARLY DETECTION refers to the practice of having a doctor examine you for signs of cancer.  This is helpful because so many cancers have a fairly high cure rate when caught early.  Especially notable are breast cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer and uterine cancer, all of which are quite survivable if they're discovered in time.
 
STAGING refers to a process which helps doctors discover the extent of a tumor's damage in a person's body. 
 
SURGERY is the process of literally cutting tumor material out of a person's body.  Surgery is done for a couple of reasons--either to diagnose the tumor or to completely remove affected areas.  Following a successful surgery, the patient often recovers in a short period of time--but should still be monitored for a recurrence of the cancer.  And in some cases, other treatment methods, such as radiation  treatment or chemotherapy, are suggested in conjunction with the surgery.
 
RADIATION THERAPY refers to a cancer treatment option in which high-energy rays are utilized to destroy cancer cells.  After the treatment is finished, the patient's cells should reach normalcy again after a short while.
 
CHEMOTHERAPY is the use of anti-cancer medications / drugs to kill cancer cells.  These medications are put into the patient's body either by intravenous needle or in pill form.  The drawback to this method, which is often used in conjunction with other treatment options, is that it often results in some unpleasant side effects.
 
HORMONE THERAPY is a treatment method in which the body's hormones are manipulated in order to destroy or control the cancer cells.  This is often used to treat prostate cancer and breast cancer, both of which have hormonal problems as a possible cause.
 
IMMUNOTHERAPY refers to a treatment method that is almost always used with other treatments.  In this procedure, the doctor's try to use the patient's own immune system to fight the cancer cells.
 
Each of these concepts is discussed in more detail throughout the pages of this website.