What are the alternatives to chemotherapy?

Surgery removes a tumour when it is localised and safely reachable. Radiotherapy treats a planned area with high-energy beams. Targeted medicines act on a feature found in some cancer cells, while immunotherapy helps the immune system recognise or attack cancer. Hormone treatment can slow cancers that depend on particular hormones. Some low-grade cancers can be monitored before treatment starts. The appropriate route differs across fallopian tube cancer, gallbladder cancer, germ cell tumour, gestational trophoblastic disease, follicular lymphoma and glioblastoma. Some treatment plans combine a local treatment with a medicine rather than replacing chemotherapy completely.

The team will consider the cancer’s type, stage, molecular features, symptoms, previous treatment and your general health. Ask whether the proposed alternative aims to cure, control growth, prevent relapse or ease symptoms. Find out whether a tissue or molecular test is needed, how response will be checked, and whether chemotherapy remains useful later. Do not stop prescribed treatment without discussing a safer plan with your oncology team.

During cancer treatment, report fever, chills, worsening breathlessness, uncontrolled vomiting, severe diarrhoea, unusual bleeding, confusion or rapidly increasing pain promptly. Fever with marked weakness can be a medical emergency, including febrile neutropenia. Seek emergency help for collapse, severe breathing difficulty, or new confusion.

Ask which cancer feature makes the alternative suitable, whether it treats the whole body or one area, and what benefit is expected. Could surgery or radiotherapy remove the need for chemotherapy? What side effects need urgent attention? How will the plan change if the cancer responds poorly?