Question 1

What are the different types of cancer treatment?

Accepted Answer

Various cancer treatments for different cancer forms are available today with the help of emerging technologies. Different treatments like targeted therapy, biomarker therapy, chemotherapy, and many other therapies are available today.

Question 2

What is the primary purpose of a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy?

Accepted Answer

The main goal of SLNB is to determine if cancer has spread to the lymphatic system beyond the primary tumour, helping in the staging and management of cancers like breast cancer and melanoma.

Question 3

What is the primary treatment for cancer?

Accepted Answer

The treatment of cancer depends upon the type of cancer. Radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery are the primary ways to treat cancer.

Question 4

How is the sentinel lymph node identified during the procedure?

Accepted Answer

A radioactive substance and/or blue dye are injected near the tumour site. The surgeon detects the radioactive node using a gamma probe or visually identifies the blue-stained node.

Question 5

Which is one of the fatal cancer forms?

Accepted Answer

Pancreatic cancer is considered to be one of the fatal forms. It harms the tissues in the pancreas that aids digestion.

Question 6

What are the potential complications of SLNB?

Accepted Answer

Possible complications include:

Infection at the incision site.
Allergic reaction to the dye.
Lymphedema (swelling caused by lymph fluid).

Question 7

Which therapy/treatment is considered the best form of cancer treatment?

Accepted Answer

Chemotherapy is considered one of the fastest methods to kill cancer cells with the help of drugs. Radiation therapy is also one of the effective methods to treat cancer with the help of high-radiation energy beams.

Question 8

What can patients expect during the recovery process after SLNB?

Accepted Answer

Patients typically experience minimal pain, which can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. They should keep the incision site clean and dry, avoid heavy lifting, and gradually return to normal activities.

Question 9

What are the latest technologies to treat cancer?

Accepted Answer

CRISPR is one of the latest methods to treat cancer. The method involves using a gene-editing tool to eliminate the cancerous DNA and quickly heal a patient. The method is still under observation by researchers.

Question 10

How soon are the results from the SLNB available, and what do they indicate?

Accepted Answer

Results are usually available within a few days. If cancer cells are found in the sentinel lymph node, further treatment, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation, may be required.

Question 11

Which forms of cancers have permanent cures?

Accepted Answer

Different cancers, such as prostate, thyroid, testicular, and breast cancer, are some curable cancers.

Question 12

How has technology contributed to the cure of cancer?

Accepted Answer

MRIs, X-rays, CT Scans, and many such technological facilities provide crystal clear and 3D images of tumours, which once was not possible. In addition, emerging technologies have made it easy to characterise the symptoms and identify the issue in its initial stages.

Surgical Oncology