Understanding Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill or reduce the activity of cancer cells. Currently there are over 100 cancer-treating drugs and new ones are being discovered all the time. Some of these drugs are taken alone and some in conjunction with other drugs and/or treatments. The word chemotherapy means " chemical treatment."
In the 1940's mustard gas was used during the World War One as a chemical warfare agent. During the Second World War, it was accidentally discovered that this mustard gas killed white blood cells. Upon further research, doctors discovered that this injectable drug had the ability to eradicate cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used to cure specific types of cancer, to control tumor growth, and to shrink tumors. It is capable of destroying remnant cancer cells after a known tumor has been removed, and may be used to relieve pain and other symptoms associated with cancer.
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells by halting cell division. These chemo drugs damage the DNA and RNA that tell the cell how to reproduce by division. When these cells are unable to divide, they die out. This causes the tumor to reduce in size. Although chemotherapy cannot distinguish between healthy and cancerous cells, normal healthy cells will grow back in time. One of the biggest reasons chemotherapy is chosen for treating cancer is its ability to reach cancer cells that have spread beyond their original location. This systemic treatment means that medicines travel throughout the entire body and can reach areas that other types of treatment such as surgery cannot.
A doctor may choose to use chemo in conjunction with surgery, radiation, or other treatments to effectively treat a patient's condition.
A doctor may recommend chemotherapy in oral, injectable, or topical form. A topical treatment involves using the anticancer drug in a lotion, ointment, or cream that is applied to the skin. The method that will work most efficiently will depend on the type of cancer and the patient's physical condition Because these drugs travel throughout the body, they may affect normal healthy cells, and this can cause side effects. Sometimes a physician will prescribe medications that protect a patient's healthy cells during treatment. If there are concerns about the effect of chemotherapy on healthy cells, one should not hesitate to discuss these concerns with one's doctor.
Chemotherapy does have a variety of side effects. It is most important to remember is that no two people will experience exactly the same group of side effects. The side effects also depend on the type of chemo that is being given, and will usually stop upon completion of chemotherapy treatment, although occasionally some will have long-term effects. In order to better understand the types of side effects associated with a particular form of treatment a patient should discuss this with their doctor. It is encouraging to note that in the last fifteen years the medical community has made great strides in the development of treatments to control and even prevent these side effects.
