If the cells have spread to distant parts of the body, here is little that anyone can do. On the other hand, cancer is curable if discovered early enough, before it has begun to spread. Not only surgery is employed, but also radiation, either by X-rays or radium, which has the effect of destroying rapidly growing cells. When used properly, therefore, radiation will kill cancer cells but will spare the more slowly growing cells of normal tissue. Other methods for treating cancer include the use of a number of drugs that act selectively on tumor cells.
Chemotherapy is much more effective for some types of tumor growth than for others.
Certain combinations of drugs have been found effective in the treatment of leukemia and in some tumors of the lymphatic system. Intensive research is going on in efforts to develop new drugs that will destroy cancer cells with minimal interference with normal body function, and to find more effective combinations of drugs. The laser, a device that produces a very highly concentrated and intense beam of light, can be used to destroy the tumor, or it can be employed as a cutting device for removing the growth. One important advantage of the laser is its ability to coagulate blood so that bleeding is largely prevented. It should be mentioned at this point that there are all sorts of quack cancer remedies on the market.