The type of treatment provided to people diagnosed with cancer will depend on the type of cancer they have and the treatment plan which is prepared by the health professionals caring for them.
Patients may receive several different types of cancer treatment.
Cancer treatment falls broadly into three main areas:
- Surgery: this is known as surgical oncology
- Radiotherapy : this is known as radiation oncology
- Cancer drugs and other therapies: this falls into medical oncology or haemato-oncology, depending on the type of cancer.
Ireland’s health system provides a comprehensive and high-quality cancer care and treatment service, offering people living with cancer in Ireland access to a wide range of treatment protocols and supports. Sometimes, a patient might have questions about treatment options that are not available in Ireland, or that are being offered outside of the services provided by their cancer care team.
Read the Advisory Notice for Healthcare Abroad (PDF)
