Dr Njau and Wawire are Molecular Pathologist and Anatomical Pathologist, respectively, at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. They write that not all cancer types are treated using surgery. In addition, in cases where the cancer has spread widely, it may not be safe or possible to operate. Chemotherapy typically involves a combination of drugs which kill the cancer cells given before and/or after surgery or even without surgery.  Radiotherapy uses high energy radiation to kill the cancer cells. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are often combined. The use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be limited by the fact that normal, non-cancerous cells are normally affected or even killed in the process. They say that what is important is personalised medicine in the context of cancer.