The treatment process can feel overwhelming when you’re first diagnosed with cancer or another serious illness. You may ask yourself, “How long will treatment last? How often will I need to come in for treatment? How much will it cost?” For many people with cancer, these are all very real concerns. Fortunately, it is possible to answer all these questions—and more—with the help of an experienced healthcare team. But before we hop into the nitty-gritty details, we need to address the first question: How long does cancer treatment typically last?The answer depends on the type of cancer, its stage, and the type of treatment you receive. Let’s take a closer look at some common cancer treatments and their average length of time:
Chemotherapy
If you are diagnosed with cancer that can be treated with chemotherapy, your doctor will likely recommend a specific regimen. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all chemotherapy protocol. For example, some forms of chemotherapy are used to treat blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma, while others are used to treat solid tumors like breast, lung, or colon cancer. Each type has different side effects and a different average time spent in treatment.Some chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously (directly into your bloodstream) and are often given in cycles lasting several weeks. Other chemotherapy drugs are given by mouth or injected into a muscle (intramuscularly). Depending on the type of chemotherapy you receive, you may need to spend anywhere from 1 to 6 hours in the hospital receiving treatment or go to an outpatient chemotherapy center for daily treatment.Chemotherapy drugs can cause side effects such as fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and nerve damage. Some people can manage these side effects with medication or other treatments. If yours persist, you may not be able to continue chemotherapy, in which case your doctor will recommend a different treatment.
Targeted Therapies
If you have a specific type of cancer—such as breast, lung, or colon—your doctor may recommend a form of immunotherapy called a “targeted therapy,” designed to attack specific cancer proteins that are responsible for unregulated growth in cancer cells. Targeted therapy drugs are one of the fastest growing fields in the treatment of cancer, and research shows they have a higher success rate than chemotherapy. Unlike chemotherapy, which can cause serious side effects, targeted therapies are generally well tolerated and have few side effects.Some of these drugs are given intravenously, while others are given by mouth. Depending on the drug, you may need to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours in the hospital receiving treatment or go to an outpatient clinic for daily treatment. If you have a life-threatening condition, your doctor may recommend more frequent treatments until your illness is controlled. The average length of time spent receiving treatment for a specific type of targeted therapy will depend on the type of cancer you have and how long it takes for your disease to respond to the treatment.
Biological Therapies
Biological therapies are also known as “biologic drugs,” “biologic therapies,” or “biologic response modifiers.” These are drugs made from living organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, or the proteins found in red blood cells. There are many types of biological therapies. Some are used to treat severe allergies, while others are used to treat cancer.Biological therapies typically have a long and complicated treatment schedule. You will likely receive injections into a vein several times per week for the first few weeks of treatment, then receive a smaller amount of medication via a drip into a vein each day for several months. Some biological therapies may cause side effects such as pain, redness, and skin irritation where the injections are given. Other side effects may be more serious, such as the risk of contracting an infection at the site where the injections are given. The average length of time spent in treatment for a specific type of biological therapy will depend on the type and severity of your disease, your response to the treatment, and any side effects.
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a treatment in which a high-powered energy source called a “radiation therapy machine” is used to treat cancer by killing cells with a large amount of energy. Radiotherapy is often used to treat cancer in the chest (lung and breast), spine, abdomen, or pelvis.You may receive radiation therapy as part of surgery (surgery plus radiotherapy) or as a standalone treatment. If your doctor recommends radiotherapy as a standalone treatment, you will likely be asked to stay in the hospital for several weeks. If you receive radiotherapy as part of surgery, you will likely spend about a week in the hospital.The average length of time you spend receiving radiotherapy will depend on the type of cancer you have, your response to the treatment, and any side effects. Some people can receive radiotherapy in their home or an outpatient setting.
Surgery
The primary goal of surgery is to remove all or most of the cancer cells from your body. There are many types of surgery for cancer—including surgery to remove the tumor, surgery to remove nearby lymph nodes, and surgery to remove nearby organs.The length of time you spend in the hospital recovering from surgery will vary depending on the type of surgery you receive. You may need to spend anywhere from 2 to 10 days in the hospital recovering from the operation. Most people are able to return to work after 2 to 3 weeks.
Key Takeaway
Cancer treatment can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on your type of cancer, the type of treatment you receive, and the response of your disease to the treatment. Be sure to ask your doctor how long they expect you to be in treatment. You may also want to ask about what happens if the treatment doesn’t work. In most cases, your doctor will recommend resuming treatment at a later time if the initial treatment does not work.