Ablation is a treatment that destroys cancer tissue using heat, cold, or another focused method. You can think of it as targeting a specific problem spot without removing a whole organ.
It is often used in certain situations, depending on where the cancer is and how big it is. Your care team will explain whether it is meant to cure, control, or relieve symptoms.
Adjuvant therapy is extra treatment after the main treatment (often surgery) to lower the chance cancer comes back. This can include chemo, radiation, , or targeted therapy.
A simple way to think about it: the main treatment removes what we can see, and adjuvant therapy tries to clean up what we cannot see.
Alkylating agents are a family of chemo drugs that damage cancer-cell DNA so cells cannot keep dividing. They are used in several cancer types and plans.
The exact side effects vary by drug and dose, but low blood counts, fatigue, and nausea are common themes. Your team watches labs closely while you are on them.
Anthracyclines are a chemo family used in many breast cancer regimens. They work by damaging cancer-cell DNA and disrupting cell growth.
They are effective drugs, but they can have meaningful side effects, so your team tracks heart health and blood counts during care.
(ADC)
An ADC is a targeted treatment that combines an antibody (the 'address label') with a chemo payload (the 'medicine'). The idea is to deliver treatment more directly to cancer cells that carry a specific marker.
People sometimes think of ADCs as a bridge between targeted therapy and chemo. They still can have side effects, but the delivery method is more selective.
An antiemetic is a medicine that helps prevent or treat nausea and vomiting during treatment. Many plans include antiemetics before chemo even starts.
If one nausea plan does not work well, ask for adjustments early. There are multiple options, and comfort can usually be improved.
Antimetabolites are chemo drugs that interfere with how cells make DNA and RNA. Cancer cells divide fast, so this disruption can slow or stop their growth.
These drugs are common across oncology and often paired with other treatments. Side effects vary but can include fatigue, mouth sores, and blood-count changes.
Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that take the brakes off the immune system so it can attack cancer better. They are used in multiple cancer types.
Because they activate immune response, side effects can look like inflammation in different organs. Reporting new symptoms early matters.
Chemotherapy uses medicine to kill or slow cancer cells. Some chemo is given by IV infusion, and some comes as pills.
Side effects can include fatigue, nausea, hair loss, or low blood counts, but everyone responds differently. Your team can offer many tools to manage side effects.
A clinical trial is a research study that tests new treatments or new ways of using existing treatments. Trials can be an option at many stages of care.
Joining a trial is always your choice. You can ask what the goal is, what the risks are, and how it compares with standard treatment.
In cancer treatment, a cycle is a planned block of treatment and recovery time. For example, treatment on day 1, then a few weeks off before the next dose.
Cycles give your body time to recover, especially blood counts. Your schedule can change if side effects or lab results need attention.
Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy in cancer care means medicines that block hormones (like estrogen) or reduce hormone production. It is commonly used for hormone-sensitive breast cancers.
This is different from menopause hormone replacement therapy. In oncology, hormone therapy is an anti-cancer strategy.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy helps your immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It does not work the same way as chemo.
Some people do very well on it, but side effects can involve inflammation in different organs. Report new symptoms early.
Maintenance therapy is ongoing treatment after initial treatment to keep cancer controlled and delay progression. It is common in some ovarian and settings.
The goal is usually long-term control with a manageable side-effect profile.
Neoadjuvant therapy is treatment given before surgery to shrink a tumor or make surgery more effective. This can include chemo, targeted therapy, or hormone therapy.
It also lets your team see how the tumor responds to treatment in real time.
Ovarian suppression uses medicine or surgery to lower ovarian estrogen production. It is sometimes used in premenopausal breast cancer treatment.
It can be temporary or permanent, depending on method and goals.
PARP inhibitors are targeted drugs that block a DNA-repair pathway cancer cells rely on, especially in some BRCA-related cancers. They are used in several breast and ovarian settings.
These are not traditional chemo drugs, but they can still cause side effects like fatigue and blood-count changes, so regular monitoring is still important.
Platinum chemotherapy is a family of chemo drugs that damage DNA, including medicines like carboplatin and cisplatin. These are common in ovarian and other cancers.
Different platinum drugs have different side-effect patterns, but blood counts, nausea, kidney effects, and nerve symptoms are frequent discussion points.
Tamoxifen is a hormone-blocking medicine commonly used for ER+ breast cancer, often in premenopausal people. It helps lower risk.
People can have side effects like hot flashes or mood changes, so ongoing check-ins help tailor supportive care.
Taxanes are a chemo drug family (like paclitaxel and docetaxel) that stop cancer cells from dividing normally. They are widely used in breast and other cancers.
Common side effects include , fatigue, and blood-count drops. Your team may adjust dosing if nerve symptoms build up.