Cancer
By The Treatment Registry editors
Cancer treatment varies fundamentally by tumour type, stage, biology (including molecular profile), and patient fitness. Modern oncology is multimodal and increasingly precision-driven, combining surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapies (chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy), and supportive care. Continuity of care across the treatment course is critical, which makes cross-border treatment particularly difficult to coordinate.
Treatment ladder
Conservative options are first-line where appropriate; surgical options are typically reserved for cases where lower-tier options are unsuitable or have failed. Decisions are individual and depend on clinical assessment.
Conservative
- Active surveillance / watchful waiting
For selected indolent cancers (low-risk prostate, some early thyroid and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia), structured surveillance with intervention deferred until progression. Avoids treatment morbidity in patients who may never need active treatment.
- Best supportive care
Symptom-focused care without disease-modifying treatment, appropriate when curative or life-prolonging treatment is not feasible or not in the patient's interest.
Procedural
- Chemotherapy · View procedure page
Systemic cytotoxic anti-cancer therapy, delivered as cycles of intravenous or oral drugs. Indications, regimens, and protocols are tumour- and stage-specific.
- Radiotherapy
External-beam, brachytherapy, or systemic radioisotopes. Used as primary therapy, adjuvant therapy, or palliation depending on the cancer.
- Targeted therapy and immunotherapy
Drugs targeting specific molecular alterations (kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies) or immune checkpoints (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors). Eligibility depends on tumour molecular profiling.
Surgical
- Curative oncologic surgery
Resection of localised tumour with margins, often combined with regional lymphadenectomy. Cornerstone of curative treatment for most solid tumours when surgically resectable.
- Cytoreductive (debulking) surgery
Removal of as much tumour bulk as possible to improve response to subsequent systemic therapy; commonly used in ovarian cancer.
- Palliative surgery
Surgery to relieve symptoms (e.g. obstruction, pain) when cure is not the aim.