Cancer patients must often undergo weeks or months of painful and exhausting treatment, and those who suffer from bone marrow cancer often undergo the most painful treatments of all. Those who have been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer must work with their doctor to determine what treatment option is best for them.
Ways of Treating Cancer
Cancer treatments fall into one of two categories. Systemic therapies such as chemotherapy are used when doctors want to treat cancers that have metastasized, whereas local therapies like surgery and radiation therapy are used to target specific areas on the patient.
Chemotherapy
When most people think of cancer treatments, chemotherapy is the first thing that comes to mind. A variety of chemotherapy drugs are helpful for bone cancer patients, including doxorubicin and etoposide.
Radiation Therapy
Concentrated, targeted doses of radiation can be applied to areas of the body where there are high concentrations of cancer cells. Radiation can be applied prior to surgery or as a follow-up treatment after a patient has undergone surgery.
Surgery
Those who suffer from bone cancer may have tumors in the soft tissues, as well as within the bone itself. The various surgical methods that may be used include bone marrow transplant and removal of muscle tissue attached to the sarcoma.
Biphosphonates
Biphosphonates are a type of pharmaceutical concoction that are given when the cancer has spread deep into the bone. This type of pharmaceutical is prescribed in order to minimize the pain and damage caused to the bone by the cancer.
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