Chemotherapy is the most widely used treatment for cancer.
The aim of the treatment is to kill cancer cells in order to reduce the disease by using a wide range of drugs (alone or in combination with other treatments), which can be given orally or intravenously. These are known as antineoplastic or chemotherapeutic drugs.
Chemotherapy is often used in combination with surgery and radiotherapy because we know that a multidisciplinary approach is the best option.
Chemotherapy type and dose will depend on the pathological characteristics of each patient.
Modalities
When and why chemotherapy is administered, as opposed to other therapeutic options, are treatments that can be defined as follows:
Clinical trials
The process of developing a new drug must first go through a Clinical Trial. A clinical trial is a study that evaluates new drugs related to treatment and prevention of the studied disease, such as cancer, as well as new diagnostic and surgical procedures.
In the last few years, the IVO has been involved in over 100 cancer clinical trials a year for different tumours: breast, gynaecology, prostate, sarcoma, lung, melanoma, etc.
The IVO has played an active role in the oncology drug development of newly commercialized drugs over the last 20 years and is currently conducting more cancer clinical trials than any other Spanish centre.
Medical Services
The IVO's specialisation in oncology allows for a service structure organised by care areas classified according to the type of tumour
Tumour Committees
The committees are the ultimate expression of multidisciplinary medicine. They are made up of expert physicians from the main oncological specialities.
Admission and Information
Any citizen with cancer or a certified oncological suspicion can apply to be a patient at the Instituto Valenciano de Oncología.
As it has an agreement with the Public Health System, patients do not have to assume any costs for their treatment.
