There is a lot of confusion surrounding these two common treatment options. The basic difference is that chemotherapy is the treatment of disease through chemicals (hence "chemo"), while radiation therapy is the treatment of disease through the use of concentrated, very high-energy atomic particles or waves.

Chemotherapy involves medications given by injections or pills for cancer. This type of treatment is circulated throughout the entire body and is generally prescribed by a medical oncologist. Radiation therapy is produced by a linear accelerator or a radioactive source, and is prescribed by a radiation oncologist.

Radiation may be the only treatment, or it may be used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy. It may be done before surgery to reduce the size of a tumor to make removal easier, but radiation therapy is more often done after cancer surgery. It may also be used with chemotherapy. It depends on the type of cancer being treated

Because chemotherapy and radiation therapy are so powerful, they can sometimes damage healthy cells. When this happens, your body sends a message to your brain warning it that something disruptive is in your body. This sets off a chain reaction that triggers the nausea and vomiting response. Kytril can help block the signals that cause nausea and vomiting.

Chemotherapy refers to a group of anti-cancer medications that work by attacking the cell machinery that allows cells to divide, grow, and spread. Most chemotherapy medications, though not all, are given intravenously (in the vein). Chemotherapy is administered in cycles (over a certain number of weeks), and not every day. Hormonal therapies require the presence of specific receptors (binding sites) in the cancer cell for estrogen and/or progesterone in order for the treatment to work.

Radiation is a special kind of energy carried by waves or a stream of particles. It can come from special machines or from radioactive substances. When radiation is used at high doses (many times those used for x-ray exams), it can treat cancer and other illnesses. Special equipment is used to aim the radiation at tumors or areas of the body where there is disease. The use of high-energy rays or particles to treat disease is called radiation therapy.

The majority, ca. 90%, of our patients, are those who have exhausted conventional treatments. Even in these stages, we have seen that it is possible to achieve partial or complete tumor remissions and patients have remained cancer free for many years, some for 20, 30, and 50 years. Adjunctive/Complementary Treatment in conjunction with standard treatments to enhance their effectiveness and reduce their side effects.

Atlanta Cancer Care is dedicated to medical oncology and, therefore, only chemotherapy is administered through our sites. We work closely with many radiation oncologists, however, and will be able to refer you for radiation therapy if necessary.

West Michigan Cancer Center is one of the few facilities in the area to offer both radiation therapy and chemotherapy on-site. Not only can patients receive both treatments at the same location, our staff can coordinate sessions for convenience and effectiveness.

You should wait 3-6 months following chemotherapy. This allows your body time to recover from the chemotherapy before stressing it with an operation. You should wait 6 months or more following radiation therapy. This allows your chest skin to recover from the effects of radiation before your reconstruction.

Absolutely. We recommend even more if you're already committed to standard cancer treatment procedures. If you are about to have an operation where the cancer cells are going to be disturbed, it is imperative that you take the apricot seeds to kill any of the free cells. Some benefits from eating raw apricot seeds: ? Lowers blood pressure ? Strengthens the arteries ? Targets the cancer cells

Why should I come to you? You are not on my list of in-network acupuncturists covered by my insurance.

After a diagnosis of cancer, a doctor will consider several factors in determining the course of treatment that will be most successful for a particular patient. These factors include the type of tumor, site of origin and the stage and grade of disease. These factors affect the likelihood of a particular therapy slowing down or stopping the disease process. In some cases, only one specific therapy may be appropriate.

Skin, head and neck, throat, larynx, breast, brain, prostate, colo-rectal, lung, bone, leukemia, among others.