Imaging is used in treating cancer as both a diagnostic tool and to measure the success of treatment. Radiologists share the results of your imaging procedures with the rest of your care team to help determine the stage of the cancer and your treatment options. Imaging technology may include:

• X-rays
• Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans
• Positron-emission tomography (PET) scans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Ultrasound
• Biopsy
• Mammography

Cancer surgery remains a leading option for removing cancer from the body. SSM Health surgical oncologists are board-certified in a variety of advanced surgical treatments for cancers. They perform cancer surgeries for many reasons, including diagnosing, removing and relieving the symptoms of multiple types of cancer.

About half of our patients with cancer will receive radiation therapy (RT) during their treatment. Radiation therapy is often used to treat cancer after surgery to destroy any remaining cancerous cells in the body. This helps lower the chances that the cancer will return or spread into nearby lymph nodes.

Unlike chemotherapy, in which drugs circulate throughout the entire body, these processes are designed to specifically place radiation in or near the tumor while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.

Chemotherapy refers to drugs that travel through the bloodstream and destroy cancer cells. These may be administered orally or intravenously and are typically given in cycles.

Therapies that may be part of your care plan include:

• Radioactive iodine therapy: a liquid or capsule that is swallowed and used to kill cancer cells in the thyroid after surgery
• Radioimmunotherapy: medications that deliver radiation directly to cancer cells; made of monoclonal antibodies that carry radioactive isotopes allowing the antibody to attach to cancer cells and deliver radiation directly to the cells
• Immunotherapy: (also known as biologic therapy or biotherapy) boosts the body’s natural immune system to combat types of cancer
• Targeted therapy: new, promising drugs that stop the action of abnormal proteins that cause cells to grow and divide
• Stem cell transplantation: takes stem cells from a healthy donor (typically a sibling) and infuses them in the patient’s bloodstream; cells evolve into healthy, blood-producing cells after placement
• Bone marrow transplantation: replaces diseased bone marrow with highly specialized stem cells

Following cancer treatment, you may need follow-up rehabilitation services to help you recover and regain your strength. Schedule an appointment with your cancer care team to discuss what rehabilitation services can help you on your road to recovery.