Many different types of cancer treatment are used in Australia today. The type of treatment your doctor recommends will depend on the type of cancer, the stage, your treatment goals and your general health. Types of cancer treatment available include: Surgery — an operation to physically cut out a cancer Chemotherapy — strong medicines used to kill cancer cells Immunotherapy — medicines that use your own immune system to target and kill cancer cells Hormone therapy — medicines that block the effects of certain types of the body’s hormones on cancer growth and spread Targeted therapy — medicines that target specific traits of cancer cells to affect their growth and spread Ablation including cryo- and radiofrequency ablation — using chemicals, extreme temperatures or radiowaves to kill areas of cancer cells Alternative therapies — using therapies outside of mainstream medical practice Clinical trials — taking part in trials of new medicines to treat cancer Radiotherapy may be given together with other treatments such as surgery and/or chemotherapy. Chemotherapy and radiation (also known as chemoradiation or chemoradiotherapy) given close together in time can make both treatments more effective.