Cancer can be treated in many ways; with surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. All people with lupus who have surgery for cancer, should be followed closely by their personal physician and/or the rheumatologist to evaluate the activity of their lupus throughout the course. For patients receiving steroid therapy and surgical procedures, their steroid dosage will have to be adjusted during the time just shortly before surgery and then tapered slowly over time after surgery. If a person is scheduled for surgery and they take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin, any of which may effect their clotting time, these medications will need to be stopped prior to surgery in order to minimize bleeding.

Chemotherapy usually doesn't present any particular problems and can in turn treat active lupus.