Newschannel 8's Live at Five. For many cancers, surgery is the main form of treatment. Doctors try to remove as much of the tumor as possible along with a small margin of healthy tissue to remove any cancer cells that may have started to spread. Radiation therapy uses high doses of energy to destroy or damage cancer cells.
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer drugs to slow the growth or kill cells that quickly multiply.
Side Effects of Cancer Treatment One of the side effects of cancer and chemotherapy is suppression of blood cell production. Red blood cells supply oxygen to the tissues and organs of the body. Anemia, a decrease in oxygen-carrying red blood cells, is a common complication of cancer and its treatment. On average, nearly one out of every five cancer patients requires a blood transfusion to treat anemia and restore levels of oxygen in the blood. White blood cells help fight infection.