My cancer is inoperable. Does that mean nothing can be done?

No. Inoperable means surgery is not the right tool here. That can be because of where the cancer sits, or how many places it is in. Sometimes it is because an operation would take more from you than it would give back.

Chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and targeted drugs all work without a knife. Ask your team what they are using instead, and what they are aiming for.

Written by two physicians. Checked against patient information from the US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Research UK.