Types of Cancer Treatment: An Overview
A plain-language overview of the main types of cancer treatment, based on National Cancer Institute resources.
Source: National Cancer Institute · Verified 2026-07-02
5 min readBeginnerUpdated 2026-07-02
The 30-second version
There are many types of cancer treatment. Some people have only one treatment, but most people have a combination, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The treatments you receive depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is.
Key takeaways
- There are many types of cancer treatment, and they are often used together.
- Most people with cancer have a combination of treatments rather than just one.
- The treatments you receive depend on your type of cancer and how advanced it is.
- Main treatment types include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and stem cell transplants.
- Your doctor can explain which treatments are options for your specific cancer.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
There are many types of cancer treatment. Some people with cancer have only one treatment. But most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The types of treatment that you receive will depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is.
Most people with cancer receive more than one kind of treatment.
The main types of treatment
The National Cancer Institute lists several main types of cancer treatment:
- Chemotherapy works by killing or stopping the growth of cancer and other fast-growing cells.
- Hormone therapy slows or stops the growth of breast and prostate cancers that use hormones to grow.
- Hyperthermia heats body tissue to help damage and kill cancer cells.
- Immunotherapy helps your immune system fight cancer.
- Photodynamic therapy uses a drug activated by light to kill cancer and other abnormal cells.
- Radiation therapy uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.
- Stem cell (blood stem cell) transplants restore blood-forming stem cells in people who have had theirs destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
- Surgery is a procedure in which a surgeon removes cancer from your body.
- Targeted therapy targets the changes in cancer cells that help them grow, divide, and spread.
How your treatment is chosen
The treatments you receive depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is. Because every cancer is different, two people with cancer may have very different treatment plans.
Biomarker testing is one tool that can help. Biomarker testing may help you and your doctor choose a cancer treatment for you.
Your plan is built around your specific cancer, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Learning more about your cancer
To learn more about how specific cancers are treated, the National Cancer Institute provides cancer treatment information for both adult and childhood cancers.
If you are getting ready for an appointment, it can help to bring questions with you. NCI offers a list of questions to ask your doctor about treatment, which can help you talk with your doctor and learn more about your treatment options.
Bringing questions to your appointment can help you understand your options.
Watch instead
Animated lessons are in production. Here’s the planned video slate for this topic — each one will be based on the same NCI-sourced explanation you’re reading.
Types of Cancer Treatment: An Overview: the quick overview
A one-breath explanation you can watch before an appointment.
Coming soonTypes of Cancer Treatment: An Overview, explained simply
The core ideas with friendly animation and plain language.
Coming soonUnderstanding types of cancer treatment: an overview — full lesson
A deeper walkthrough covering the key takeaways and common questions.
Coming soonVideo transcriptâ–¾
A full, readable transcript will appear here when the video is published — so the lesson is accessible whether you prefer to watch, listen, or read. For now, the article above is the complete text version.
Suggested animation storyboardâ–¾
- 1Open on a calm title card: "Types of Cancer Treatment: An Overview" with the Cancer Explained mark.
- 2Narrator reads the 30-second summary while a soft animated diagram builds on screen: "There are many types of cancer treatment. Some people have only one treatment, but most people have a combination, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The treatments you receive depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is."
- 3Scene 2: illustrate the idea — "There are many types of cancer treatment, and they are often used together."
- 4Scene 3: illustrate the idea — "Most people with cancer have a combination of treatments rather than just one."
- 5Scene 4: illustrate the idea — "The treatments you receive depend on your type of cancer and how advanced it is."
- 6Close on a reminder card: this is educational only; talk with your healthcare team, and a link to the NCI source.
Words to know
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Quick knowledge check
According to this article, how many treatments do most people with cancer have?
Frequently asked questions
â–¸How many types of cancer treatment are there?
There are many types of cancer treatment. The main ones include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and stem cell transplants. Other types include hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy.
â–¸Will I need more than one treatment?
Some people with cancer have only one treatment. But most people have a combination of treatments, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
â–¸What decides which treatments I get?
The types of treatment you receive depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is. Your doctor can explain which options fit your situation.
â–¸Where can I learn how my specific cancer is treated?
The National Cancer Institute publishes cancer treatment information for both adult and childhood cancers. Your healthcare team can also walk you through the treatment options for your type of cancer.
â–¸What is biomarker testing?
Biomarker testing is a way of looking for information about your cancer. According to NCI, biomarker testing may help you and your doctor choose a cancer treatment for you.
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Questions to ask your healthcare team
Consider bringing these questions to your next appointment.
- What types of treatment are options for my cancer?
- Will I have one treatment or a combination of treatments?
- What is the goal of each treatment you are recommending?
- How advanced is my cancer, and how does that affect my choices?
- Would biomarker testing help choose my treatment?
- What are the benefits and risks of each option?
- Where can I read more about how my type of cancer is treated?
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