Treatments

Today, treatments for cancer are more effective than ever before, while side effects continue to be minimized. This is largely the result of clinical trials which have brought advances in drug therapies and treatment strategies. Because our doctors participate in an extensive network of physicians nationwide, they are up to date with the latest clinical trials that evaluate the effectiveness of new oncology treatments and developments.

While there are hundreds of ongoing clinical trials across the country that provide crucial innovations for cancer care, fewer than five percent of patients take part. Our physicians, who stay abreast of these studies, can help direct you to one in the event you may be eligible and benefit from the trial.

Should your oncologist here decide you would benefit from a trial, Montgomery Cancer Center will coordinate with the facility conducting that trial. In many of these cases, after your examination at the research facility, you can continue treatments for the trials right here at Montgomery Cancer Center.

Before a patient can participate in a clinical trial, the physician and patient must decide prior to the administration of any other treatment. To learn more, please click on the following subcategories.

Medical Oncology

Montgomery Cancer Center provides a full range of medical oncology services for its patients, including chemotherapy and immunology. Patients work closely with their physician to customize a therapy that will work best for them, often employing several methods of addressing the cancer at the same time.

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Chemotherapy

The center's chemotherapies use the latest and most effective drugs to kill cancer cells. Different from surgery or radiation therapy, chemotherapy sends cancer-fighting drugs that circulate in the bloodstream to distant parts of the body where the cancer may have spread. Because it can eliminate cancer cells distant from the original site, chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment.

Many side effects once associated with chemotherapy are now easily prevented or controlled, allowing many people receiving treatment to work, travel, and participate in many of their other normal activities.

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Immunotherapy

Montgomery Cancer Center also offers immunotherapy, where the body's own immune system is used to kill cancer cells. Types of this therapy include interferon, interleukin, monoclonal antibodies, colony stimulating factors (cytokines), and vaccines.

All Montgomery Cancer Center's treatments are patient-focused. Physicians and staff are experienced and skilled in the development and administration of individualized, effective chemotherapies and immunotherapies.
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Radiation Oncology

Montgomery Cancer Center also offers radiation oncology services to its patients. Treatment may vary depending upon the type of cancer, the stage of cancer, and the goal of treatment. Depending on the patient's diagnosis and treatment plan, radiation therapy is often used in conjunction with other therapies such as surgery or chemotherapy to provide the most complete and effective treatment. In cases where a patient would be best served through a clinical trial or experimental treatment, the center's physicians will consult with its contacts at major research facilities to arrange for the treatment.

Radiation therapy, unlike chemotherapy, is a local treatment, using high-energy beams to damage the DNA in targeted cancer cells. This prevents them from reproducing and growing, so the cancer cells die and the cancer shrinks. The objective is to kill enough cancer cells to maximize the probability of cure while minimizing side effects.

Montgomery Cancer Center has radiation oncologists on staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field.

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