During chemotherapy or any cancer treatment, patients may need support to cope with fear of the unknown, treatment side effects and disruption in daily routines and personal relationships. Patients are encouraged to talk with their doctors and other health care providers about these concerns. This is a method of treatment that doctors use to enhance the body's natural immune system to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy involves the use of biologic agents which mimic chemicals that are normally produced by white blood cells. When curing cancer is not possible, doctors use palliative treatment to make the patient more comfortable by shrinking tumors and reducing pressure, bleeding, pain and other symptoms of cancer.
Palliative treatment can take many forms, including radiation therapy, surgery or medication.