Do most people with cancer have more than one treatment?

Yes. Most people with cancer have a combination of treatments rather than a single one.

There are many types of cancer treatment. Some people have only one treatment, but most have a combination, such as surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The types of treatment you receive depend on the type of cancer you have and how advanced it is.

Treatments are often combined so they can work together. For example, chemotherapy can make a tumor smaller before surgery or radiation, destroy cancer cells that may remain afterward, help other treatments work better, or kill cancer cells that have returned or spread.

Because every situation is different, your own plan may include one treatment or several. Your care team can explain which treatments they recommend for you and why.