Metastatic Cancer: Your Treatment Options






Systemic therapies





Local therapies
Local therapies (which target a specific body area) to treat cancer include:

Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays to target tumors, treat bone pain and spinal compression, and relieve pain and swelling.

Surgery, which may be used to remove a tumor, relieve pressure on tissues, or treat or prevent a bone fracture or spinal compression, or potential fracture or compression.

Your doctor may recommend either a single therapy or a combination of therapies. Over time, it's possible that you will use a series of different treatments—each selected to shrink tumors, cause cancer regression and address your symptoms.

How will I feel? It's not easy to predict how your cancer or your treatment will affect you. But it's vital to tell your healthcare team about all of your symptoms—especially pain. Therapies are available that can ease the symptoms of metastases throughout your body and make life more comfortable.

How will I know the treatment is working? Scans and blood tests can help your doctors assess how you are responding to treatment. Your doctors will also consider the history you report and may physically examine you to determine whether your treatment needs adjustment.