Cancer Treatment: Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy

After the cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital will discuss your treatment options with you. Many cancer treatments are available, and your options will depend on the type of cancer, the stage of cancer and other factors such as your age, health status and personal preferences.

The goals of cancer treatment at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital are to eradicate the cancer, improve survival rates, improve function and manage or slow the disease’s progression. Together with your team, you and your doctor will weigh the benefits and risks of each cancer treatment to determine which is best for you.

The three major types of treatment for cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Depending on your unique situation, two or more of these types of treatment may be combined at the same time or used after one another.

At Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, your cancer treatment options may include:

• Surgery. The goal of surgery is to remove the cancer or as much of the cancer as possible. At Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, we work with surgeons who specialize in the biopsy and removal of cancer, so they are uniquely trained to give you the best possible results. Learn more about Oncology Surgery at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.
  
  
• Chemotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs or other chemical substances to treat cancer. Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital provides this therapy in its Outpatient Oncology & Infusion Center.
  
  
• Radiation Therapy. Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, such as X-rays, to kill cancer cells. Radiation treatment can come from a machine outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be placed inside your body (brachytherapy). Our Center for Advanced Radiation Medicine provides therapy options unique to hospitals in Illinois.

Learn more about Oncology Surgery, Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital >