Everyone has questions concerning cancer and Michael Sherman, medical director for Contra Costa Oncology, would like to answer yours. Contra Costa Oncology has offices in Walnut Creek, Concord, San Ramon and Rossmoor.  If you have questions for Dr. Sherman, e-mail Donna Lynn Rhodes or Martha Ross, editor for Walnut Creek Patch, at martha@patch.com. 

Q:  If you are diagnosed with cancer do you always have to have both  radiation and  chemotherapy?

A: No, you do not. Because every cancer is different, the kind of cancer and how soon it's diagnosed play a huge role in determining your treatment. It's important to understand the difference between radiation and chemotherapy and their underlying principles. Radiation is used to reduce the local recurrence rate of most cancers while chemotherapy kills the actual cancer cells. The risks and side effects of chemotherapy are much greater than those of radiation. However, chemotherapy can increase the cure rate by slowing a cancer down. The good news is there are new tumor-specific therapies that promise fewer side effects. Early detection is key and then deciding what treatment is best to cure a cancer should be determined by a partnership between you and your cancer specialist.

Q:  Do men and women respond differently to treatment?

A: That's a very interesting question. Just as no two cancers are alike, the way an individual responds to the treatment also varies. Research indicates that many times it's the patient's age and overall health prior to starting treatment — rather than gender — that help determine reaction and results from a specific treatment. With chemotherapy, for instance, the patient's height and weight is crucial in determining the correct dosage to ensure the toxins in the drugs don't do more harm than good.