Cancer treatment modalities

Surgery

Removal of a tumor or cancerous tissue

Radiation therapy

Treatment using high-energy radiation to destroy tumor cells

Chemotherapy

Treatment of cancer using drugs

Hormonal therapy

Treatment that blocks hormone effects or reduces hormone production to inhibit tumor growth

Molecularly targeted therapy

Drugs that attack specific targets driving cancer growth

Immunotherapy

Treatment using immune cells or antibodies to attack tumor cells

Adjuvant chemotherapy

Chemotherapy given after primary treatment to help destroy residual cancer cells

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Chemotherapy given before primary treatment to reduce tumor size

Debulking procedure

Removal of as much of the primary tumor mass as possible

Palliative treatment

Treatment intended to relieve symptoms without necessarily curing the disease

Brachytherapy

Radiation treatment using radioactive material placed inside a tumor or body cavity

External beam irradiation

Radiation delivered to a tumor from a source outside the body

Fractionation

Dividing radiation treatment into small, repeated doses

Cryosurgery

Destruction of tissue using subfreezing temperatures

Cauterization

Destruction of tissue by burning, heat, or chemicals

Fulguration

Destruction of tissue using electric sparks generated by a high-frequency current

Biopsy

Removal of tissue or cells for examination and diagnosis