Print OverviewCancer treatment is the use of surgery, radiation, medications and other therapies to cure a cancer, shrink a cancer or stop the progression of a cancer. Many cancer treatments exist. Depending on your particular situation, you may receive one treatment or you may receive a combination of treatments.Products & ServicesA Book: Beyond Breast CancerSign up for Email: Get Your Free Resource – Coping with CancerShow more products from Mayo Clinic Why it's doneThe goal of cancer treatment is to achieve a cure for your cancer, allowing you to live a normal life span. This may or may not be possible, depending on your specific situation. If a cure isn't possible, your treatments may be used to shrink your cancer or slow the growth of your cancer to allow you to live symptom free for as long as possible. Cancer treatments may be used as: Primary treatment. The goal of a primary treatment is to completely remove the cancer from your body or kill all the cancer cells. Any cancer treatment can be used as a primary treatment, but the most common primary cancer treatment for the most common types of cancer is surgery. If your cancer is particularly sensitive to radiation therapy or chemotherapy, you may receive one of those therapies as your primary treatment. Adjuvant treatment. The goal of adjuvant therapy is to kill any cancer cells that may remain after primary treatment in order to reduce the chance that the cancer will recur. Any cancer treatment can be used as an adjuvant therapy. Common adjuvant therapies include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormone therapy. Neoadjuvant therapy is similar, but treatments are used before the primary treatment in order to make the primary treatment easier or more effective. Palliative treatment. Palliative treatments may help relieve side effects of treatment or signs and symptoms caused by cancer itself. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy can all be used to relieve symptoms. Other medications may relieve symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath. Palliative treatment can be used at the same time as other treatments intended to cure your cancer. What you can expectMany cancer treatments are available. Your treatment options will depend on several factors, such as the type and stage of your cancer, your general health, and your preferences. Together you and your doctor can weigh the benefits and risks of each cancer treatment to determine which is best for you. Cancer treatment options include: Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible. Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays or protons, to kill cancer cells. Radiation treatment can come from a machine outside your body (external beam radiation), or it can be placed inside your body (brachytherapy). Bone marrow transplant. Your bone marrow is the material inside your bones that makes blood cells from blood stem cells. A bone marrow transplant, also knowns as a stem cell transplant, can use your own bone marrow stem cells or those from a donor. A bone marrow transplant allows your doctor to use higher doses of chemotherapy to treat your cancer. It may also be used to replace diseased bone marrow. Immunotherapy. Immunotherapy, also known as biological therapy, uses your body's immune system to fight cancer. Cancer can survive unchecked in your body because your immune system doesn't recognize it as an intruder. Immunotherapy can help your immune system "see" the cancer and attack it. Hormone therapy. Some types of cancer are fueled by your body's hormones. Examples include breast cancer and prostate cancer. Removing those hormones from the body or blocking their effects may cause the cancer cells to stop growing. Targeted drug therapy. Targeted drug treatment focuses on specific abnormalities within cancer cells that allow them to survive. Cryoablation. This treatment kills cancer cells with cold. During cryoablation, a thin, wandlike needle (cryoprobe) is inserted through your skin and directly into the cancerous tumor. A gas is pumped into the cryoprobe in order to freeze the tissue. Then the tissue is allowed to thaw. The freezing and thawing process is repeated several times during the same treatment session in order to kill the cancer cells. Radiofrequency ablation. This treatment uses electrical energy to heat cancer cells, causing them to die. During radiofrequency ablation, a doctor guides a thin needle through the skin or through an incision and into the cancer tissue. High-frequency energy passes through the needle and causes the surrounding tissue to heat up, killing the nearby cells. Clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies to investigate new ways of treating cancer. Thousands of cancer clinical trials are underway. Other treatments may be available to you, depending on your type of cancer. Clinical trials Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. By Mayo Clinic Staff Cancer treatment care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Doctors & Departments May 25, 2022 Print Show references Cancer terms: Treatment. ASCO Cancer.Net. https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/cancer-basics/cancer-terms-treatment. Accessed. March 14, 2018. Searching for cancer centers. American College of Surgeons. https://www.facs.org/search/cancer-programs. Accessed March 28, 2018. Related Alternative cancer treatments: 11 options to consider Cancer Common questions about breast cancer treatment COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms? Measles Virus as a Cancer Fighter Schwannomatosis Show more related content News from Mayo Clinic RegenBio Summit: Could a molecular scissors heal disease? June 17, 2024, 01:31 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Improvements in prostate surgery June 14, 2024, 03:00 p.m. CDT Lymphedema: A lesser-known breast cancer treatment side effect with lifelong impacts June 06, 2024, 02:29 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Types of brain tumors and treatments June 03, 2024, 03:28 p.m. CDT Bladder cancer: Research is driving new treatment options, better outcomes May 25, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: New chemotherapy approach for treating stomach cancer May 23, 2024, 04:30 p.m. CDT Transforming cancer care with treatments at home May 23, 2024, 03:46 p.m. CDT Clinical trials: A significant part of cancer care May 19, 2024, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Treating breast cancer through surgery May 09, 2024, 03:45 p.m. CDT Teamwork and a new nickname inspire patient through pancreatic cancer treatment April 19, 2024, 03:07 p.m. CDT Unleashing CAR-T cell therapy to destroy solid tumors in thyroid cancer April 09, 2024, 12:30 p.m. CDT New heated drug baths provide hope for patients with stomach cancer April 04, 2024, 05:15 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Advances in treating kidney cancer April 04, 2024, 04:15 p.m. CDT CAR-T cell therapy helps man continue community advocacy April 02, 2024, 03:00 p.m. CDT Multiple myeloma: Its evolution, treatment and the quest to catch it early March 09, 2024, 12:00 p.m. CDT World Cancer Day: Making a commitment to close the cancer care gap Feb. 04, 2024, 12:00 p.m. CDT Research fuels advances in bile duct cancer care Jan. 13, 2024, 12:00 p.m. CDT Understanding triple-negative breast cancer and its treatment Jan. 04, 2024, 04:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center highlights research advances in 2023 Dec. 21, 2023, 10:19 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: The right way to talk with someone who has cancer Dec. 18, 2023, 05:30 p.m. CDT Identifying new potential in cancer-killing T cells Dec. 02, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CDT Unleashing viruses aimed at killing cancer Nov. 25, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CDT Telehealth's lasting impact on cancer care delivery Nov. 22, 2023, 02:05 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: Fertility considerations in cancer treatment: Preserving hope for the future Nov. 02, 2023, 01:31 p.m. CDT 17-gene signature linked to remission after triple-negative breast cancer treatment Oct. 21, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT On the road again - thanks to collaborative cancer care Sept. 17, 2023, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: 5 advances in cancer treatment Aug. 15, 2023, 01:01 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: Tips for cancer patients to stay safe in the summer Aug. 02, 2023, 02:00 p.m. CDT Bladder cancer: What you should know about diagnosis, treatment and recurrence June 22, 2023, 01:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Testicular cancer is highly treatable June 14, 2023, 03:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Why some patients with breast tumors could possibly avoid a mastectomy April 18, 2023, 01:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Minute: Why early treatment of esophageal cancer is critical April 11, 2023, 04:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q and A: Treating colon cancer March 28, 2023, 12:30 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Hot chemotherapy for late-stage cancers Oct. 18, 2022, 12:30 p.m. CDT Eclipse and Mayo Clinic create Nucleus RadioPharma to better serve cancer patients Oct. 12, 2022, 05:35 p.m. CDT Science Saturday: Designing personalized vaccines to combat cancer Oct. 08, 2022, 11:00 a.m. CDT Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Cancer rehabilitation Aug. 02, 2022, 12:30 p.m. CDT 9 common questions about genetic testing for cancer July 27, 2022, 01:03 p.m. CDT Show more news from Mayo Clinic Products & Services A Book: Beyond Breast Cancer Sign up for Email: Get Your Free Resource – Coping with Cancer Show more products and services from Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, have been recognized among the top Cancer hospitals in the nation for 2023-2024 by U.S. News & World Report. Learn more about this top honor Cancer treatmentAboutDoctors&DepartmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic on IncontinenceThe Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic PressThe Essential Diabetes BookMayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic on Hearing and BalanceFREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic PressFREE Mayo Clinic Diet AssessmentMayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book PRC-20393335 Patient Care & Health Information Tests & Procedures Cancer treatment