Health & Fitness
5 Common Misconceptions About Cancer Treatment
Dr. Mary Cianfrocca, a medical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, talks treatment side effects, clinical trials and more.
There's a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to cancer treatment, and turning to the internet for answers can often to lead to more confusion and unnecessary stress. To separate fact from fiction, we asked Dr. Mary Cianfrocca, a medical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, to weigh in on five of the most common misconceptions about cancer treatment.
Misconception #1: There's a single best course of treatment for each type of cancer.
This simply isn't true, because as Dr. Cianfrocca points out, "all cancers are different from each other."
"[T]he natural history and treatment for prostate cancer, for example, is markedly different than the natural history and treatment of colon cancer," she explains. "Even within one particular site of cancer — so for example, even within breast cancer — there are very large differences between the types of tumors that occur in patients and the types of treatments that are recommended."
Every patient is different as well, says Dr. Cianfrocca. "So what is good treatment for your neighbor may very well not be the same treatment that's recommended to you."
There's no one-size-fits-all cancer treatment plan, which is why patients at Banner MD Anderson can rely on a team of experts who understand the nuances of each type of cancer to develop an approach based on their unique needs.
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Misconception #2: Surgery causes cancer to spread.
"No, there's no truth to that," Dr. Cianfrocca explains. "That's a very common misconception, and it really goes back to the days before we had good imaging techniques. So typically cancer was diagnosed at very late stages, and you didn't really know it until you took the patient to the operating room."
But thanks to major advances in medical imaging techniques, this is no longer the case. "Nowadays patients undergo very detailed staging exams — including CAT scans, ultrasounds, blood work — that really are much more accurate in determining how advanced the cancer is," Dr. Cianfrocca says, "and if a patient goes to surgery, generally they are at a less advanced stage than they were in the past."
Surgical care for Banner MD Anderson patients is provided inside Banner Gateway Medical Center, a sister facility located on the same medical campus that serves as an extension of their outpatient facility. Medical professionals here have the experience, expertise and access to latest, most sophisticated surgical equipment to achieve the best possible outcomes.
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Misconception #3: All cancer treatments make you sick.
Dr. Cianfrocca says that while all therapies do have some side effects, they vary widely based on the type of treatment and the patient.
"The types of treatment for cancer are very diverse," she explains. "Many patients getting treatment don't even need chemotherapy, and other patients need much more aggressive chemotherapy. There are therapies that really don't make you feel as sick as others."
With most types of treatment, "usually, the side effects are manageable," says Dr. Cianfrocca, "and many times patients continue to be able to work and feel well throughout their therapy."
Banner MD Anderson offers treatment alternatives, support services and patient amenities that provide an unmatched healing environment.
Misconception #4: Patients need to isolate themselves throughout treatment.
When patients are getting chemotherapy that compromises their immune systems, "we do generally tell them to try to avoid sick people," says Dr. Cianfrocca. "However, that's easier said than done, and the truth is, one of the biggest dangers to patients when their immune system is compromised is actually the bacteria that we carry on our skin and in our body, so I try not to have patients become obsessive about that."
Doctors "do advise patients to try to practice common sense and avoid people who are clearly ill," says Dr. Cianfrocca. "But a lot of time, some of the things that are dangerous to them — for example, the flu — people are contagious before they ever have symptoms. So there are limitations in how much you can avoid sick people when you're undergoing chemotherapy."
Patients themselves typically don't have to worry about their treatment or its side effects impacting those around them, either. "We do give patients instructions on how to handle situations where they are vomiting or they have other issues," says Dr. Cianfrocca, "but in general, they don't have to worry about being around their family members — including children."
Banner MD Anderson offers an array of programs and services to care for patients and their families through all phases of the cancer continuum.
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Misconception #5: Experimental treatments are a last resort.
"Clinical trials can give you access to therapies that we hope will be the standard of care in the future," says Dr. Cianfrocca.
"I think that patients should always be informed of clinical studies and trials at every decision point in their cancer process," she says. "While they may or may not choose to participate in a trial at any given point in time, they should always be aware of what's available so that they can make an educated decision."
At Banner MD Anderson, eligible patients may be given the opportunity to participate in select research studies to help evaluate the safety and efficacy of new treatments and increase understanding of the ways to fight cancer.
By conducting independent clinical trials as well as collaborating with physicians from MD Anderson Cancer Center and other nationally recognized research institutions, patients at Banner MD Anderson treatment centers have access to some of the latest and most advanced trials.
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One of the most distinctive features of Banner MD Anderson is its team approach to care. Bringing together a group of specialists to discuss and share insights on each patient's case ensures that patients receive the best possible treatment plan and benefit from expertise of many specialists, not just one.
Banner MD Anderson, located in Gilbert, Arizona, is dedicated to providing the community with an unprecedented level of cancer care. That's why they've expanded their oncology services to other Banner locations throughout the Valley and Colorado.
Find a Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center Location Near You
More from Banner Health:
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- How To Stress Less When It Comes To Keeping Your Family Healthy
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