Get to know important things about cancer chemotherapy!

Cancer Chemotherapy

You must have heard about cancer chemotherapy and might have a lot of queries about this treatment option. The word ‘chemotherapy’ is commonly used for medicines and drugs to treat any infectious disease. However, this term is commonly associated with cancer treatment. 


Chemotherapy is widely used for controlling cancer, reducing its symptoms and curing it in some cases.  It works by blocking the growth and multiplication of cancer cells in the body, thus avoiding its spread from one specific location to other parts of the body (metastasis). It can also destroy cancer cells which have spread to distant locations. 


It can either be used as a monotherapy or in combination with other therapies such as surgery, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. It constitutes:

  • Traditional or standard chemotherapy which uses anticancer drugs to destroy cancer cells

  • Neoadjuvant chemotherapy which is used prior surgery or radiation therapy to shrink cancer cells or tumors

  • Adjuvant chemotherapy which is used to destroy any remaining cancer cells after surgery or radiotherapy

  • Monotherapy or combination therapy with immunotherapy, biological therapy or targeted therapy for treating blood cancers, recurrent cancer (cancer which comes back) and metastatic cancer (cancer which spreads to distant locations)

How often a patient will receive chemotherapy and which combinations to be used is dependent on specific factors. Your oncologist will suggest a treatment plan including drugs, doses and a schedule considering the following factors:

  • Type and stage of cancer 

  • Size of tumor and its location in the body

  • Overall health, age and body weight of the patient

  • Previous cancer treatments 

  • Presence of other medical conditions 


Chemotherapy can be given in various ways such as orally in form of tablets or capsules, intravenously via liquid or lyophilized injections in vein, topically in form of creams, intramuscular through injection in muscle, intra-arterial through catheter, intrathecally through injection in cerebrospinal fluid and intraperitoneal through a small tube with a special port in peritoneal cavity. 


Chemotherapy is usually given in regular intervals called cycles. A cycle usually comprises a dose of one or more drugs given for one or more days followed by several days or weeks without treatment. The drug-free days helps the normal cells to recover from potential side effects of therapy. In some chemotherapy regimens, the dose of a drug is given for a certain number of days in a row or continuously for a set of days followed by a rest period. The number of cycles of chemotherapy depends on type and cancer stage. 


A full course of chemotherapy is mandatory to fully recover from the cancer. It can be tough to remain consistent, many times the patient might feel fully drained, but a healthy lifestyle and good nutrition can help a cancer patient to stay active and determined during the treatment. 


Also Explore 7 preventive tips to reduce the risk of getting cancer!


Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q. Is chemotherapy treatment painful?

Ans. Not necessarily. Chemotherapy can only cause mild pain at the injection site when it is administered through a catheter and special port.

Q. What side effects does chemotherapy have?

Ans. Chemotherapy can cause side effects as the growth of healthy cells is also affected by treatment. Damage to healthy cells such as cells lining the intestine and those that cause hair growth can lead to nausea, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness and hair loss. 
Location: SCO 84, near Vatika park, Sector 5, Panchkula, Haryana 134109, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cancer Immunotherapy: Widening horizons of cancer treatment

Image
For years, it has been known that the immune system plays a crucial role in destroying mutated cells and fighting against infections. However, mutated cells may surpass the immune system destruction in some scenarios, leading to tumours and cancerous growth. So here comes cancer immunotherapy in action. Cancer immunotherapy is the most rapidly advancing treatment option that enhances the immune system's ability to recognize and attack mutated cancer cells in the body. It also helps produce additional components such as cytokines which boosts your body's natural ability to fight against cancer cells.  There are various types of immunotherapies, at present, which may work in different ways such as: Immune checkpoint inhibitors: It includes drugs that inhibit cancer cells from activating the immune system (immune checkpoints) and increase the body's defence to destroy cancer cells. Examples are nivolumab, ipilimumab, avelumab etc. FDA has approved most of the immune checkpoint
Read more

Cancer diagnostic tests: What you need to know!

Image
  Cancer is suspected as per the person’s symptoms. The next step that follows is the thorough diagnosis of cancer which is crucial before initiating personalized therapy. Different tests are available to detect the type, location and staging of cancer. These tests are performed either by a physician, radiologist or oncologist. Time and again, new diagnostic tools have been developed along with improvements in the prevailing methods. Some of the commonly used diagnostic tests or methods are as under: Biopsy: A biopsy is done by obtaining a small tissue surgically from the speculated area and examining it under the microscope to confirm the presence of cancer cells. As this is an outpatient procedure, there is no need for a hospital stay at night. As biopsies can be painful, a local anaesthetic can be used. There are several ways to perform Biopsies; these are: Needle biopsy: Here, the tissue or fluid is removed via a needle. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) can be effective for fluid
Read more

Diet for cancer patients: Things to remember after treatment

Image
Food and a balanced diet has a great impact on our lives. Consuming healthy foods and herbs make your body immuned and fit. On the other side, if you are on junk, fried, sugary and fast foods, you feel you are suffering from a bundle of health issues, including obesity, high blood pressure or many cardiovascular problems. Also, some types of foods help to cure a specific health concern. For instance, broccoli is found to be very good for stomach and neem for blood purification. This thing fits in the context for people with cancer as well. Healthy diet for cancer patients is an essential aspect to consider. Advanced cancer therapeutics has helped to control the mortality rate for many types of cancers, if diagnosed on time. However, getting rid of cancer is not the only thing a cancer patient requires. Getting fit and healthy is another motto after cancer treatment. Cancer diets play a very essential role in this scenario. Once the treatment is done, many cancer patients get better a
Read more