1. What are the main types of cancer treatments and how do they work? Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Answer: The main types of cancer treatments are surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, stem cell transplant, and precision medicine. Surgery involves removing the tumor and some surrounding healthy tissue. Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays or particles to kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. Immunotherapy helps the body's immune system fight cancer. Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances that target specific molecules involved in cancer growth and spread. Hormone therapy uses drugs that block or lower the amount of hormones that stimulate some types of cancer. Stem cell transplant replaces damaged or destroyed blood-forming cells with healthy ones. Precision medicine uses genetic testing and other information to tailor treatment to each patient's unique cancer. Some advantages of surgery are that it can remove the entire tumor or most of it, reduce symptoms, and prevent complications. Some disadvantages are that it may not remove all the cancer cells, cause side effects such as pain, infection, bleeding, or scarring, and require recovery time. Some advantages of radiation therapy are that it can target specific areas of the body, shrink tumors before surgery or prevent recurrence after surgery, and relieve symptoms such as pain or bleeding. Some disadvantages are that it may damage healthy cells, cause side effects such as fatigue, skin changes, nausea, or hair loss, and increase the risk of secondary cancers. Some advantages of chemotherapy are that it can kill cancer cells throughout the body, shrink tumors before surgery or radiation therapy, or prevent recurrence after surgery or radiation therapy. Some disadvantages are that it may affect normal cells, cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, infection, or nerve damage, and require frequent monitoring of blood counts and kidney and liver function. Some advantages of immunotherapy are that it can boost the body's natural defenses against cancer, target specific antigens on cancer cells, and reduce the risk of recurrence or metastasis. Some disadvantages are that it may not work for all types of cancer or all patients, cause side effects such as fever, chills, rash, itching, fatigue, or inflammation of organs, and require close monitoring of immune system activity and response. Some advantages of targeted therapy are that it can interfere with specific pathways or processes that drive cancer growth and spread, spare normal cells from damage, and work well with other treatments such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Some disadvantages are that it may not work for all types of cancer or all patients, cause side effects such as diarrhea, liver problems, skin problems, or bleeding problems, and lead to resistance or mutations in cancer cells. Some advantages of hormone therapy are that it can slow down or stop the growth of hormonesensitive cancers such as breast or prostate cancer, reduce the need for surgery or radiation therapy in some cases, and improve quality of life by easing symptoms such as hot flashes or bone pain. Some disadvantages are that it may not work for all types of hormone-sensitive cancers or all patients, cause side effects such as weight gain, mood changes, sexual dysfunction, or blood clots, and increase the risk of osteoporosis or heart disease. Some advantages of stem cell transplant are that it can restore the production of healthy blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy, cure some types of blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma, and provide a source of donor immune cells that can fight residual cancer cells. Some disadvantages are that it may not work for all types of blood cancers or all patients, cause serious complications such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD),