Treatment

The cancer treatment you receive depends on your particular form of cancer and how advanced it is. Patients and families are informed about care plans every step of the way so they understand the process and are educated about symptoms that can occur during treatment. You may receive one type of treatment or a combination. Hematology Oncology at Montefiore Nyack Hospital offers a full range of treatments, including:

• Chemotherapy. These drugs are given either intravenously or by mouth and travel throughout the body to destroy cancer cells. Learn more about the Infusion Center.
• Hormone Therapy. Some cancers rely on hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone or testosterone, to survive and grow. These drugs help starve certain cancers of the hormones they need.
• Targeted Therapy. Research has found new targets within cancer cells that can be attacked with targeted therapy drugs that work by zeroing in on cancer cells while sparing surrounding healthy cells.
• Immune Therapy. Cancer cells have ways to hide from the immune system, which normally helps to suppress them. Immunotherapy drugs unmask cancer cells and stimulate the immune system to attack them.
• Clinical Trial Therapies/Cancer Research Studies. Research and comparisons of old treatments against new ones drive the standard of cancer care. There are many promising cancer treatments still in the experimental stages and available only to those participating in a cancer research study. By enrolling in a clinical trial, which is run according to strict federal regulations, patients gain access to breakthrough therapies while advancing the field of cancer research for future patients. Locate a clinical trial.
• Supportive/Palliative Care Only/Hospice. Some patients with advanced cancer may not be candidates for or may not want any of the above therapies, instead preferring to focus on treating their symptoms with pain medication, oxygen and/or anti-anxiety medications.
• Observation. Sometimes there is no therapy that has been shown to improve the cure rate of a cancer or the side effects of treatment outweigh the benefit of the treatment. In these situations, observation may be the best approach.