Chemotherapy is the treatment of malignant neoplasms with the help of highly toxic substances. With many types of cancer, it is a key medication that helps fight affected cells. Chemotherapy, what is it, and how effective is it, we will consider in this article.
What does chemotherapy do?
As you know, despite the clear progress in medicine, a cure for cancer has not been invented. Removal of the tumor does not always lead to a complete recovery. Very often, the disease sends metastases to healthy organs. Why do you need chemotherapy?
- To destroy cancer cells.
- To control the disease. Under the influence of chemicals, the tumor slows down growth, metastases are destroyed.
- With palliative treatment. When it becomes clear that the tumor is inoperable, and it is useless to fight it, chemotherapy can alleviate the symptoms of the patient (reduce the size of the tumor so that it does not press on healthy organs).
To combat such a stern adversary as cancer, doctors prefer to use combined methods. Chemotherapy (what it is, we have already discussed above) is often combined with the surgical method. It allows you to:
- reduce the size of the tumor (before surgery or irradiation);
- destroy cancer cells or metastases remaining after surgery (chemotherapy after surgery);
- prevent the recurrence of a tumor or metastases;
- enhance the effect of radiation therapy and biotherapy.
How is it carried out?
You can conduct chemotherapy courses in a hospital or at home, the main condition is the constant supervision of a doctor who, in case of an incorrect reaction of the body to drugs, will replace them. The solution is administered: intramuscularly in the form of injections (for example, in the arm, thigh), intravenously (in the peripheral or central vein), intraarterially (introduced into the artery that saturates the tumor), intraperitoneally (the drug enters the abdominal region), orally (taken orally in the form of tablets or liquid) and by rubbing it into the skin.
Disadvantages and side effects of chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, what is it? Effective treatment or a waste of time? The effectiveness of this procedure in the fight against cancerous tumors has been proven more than once. As for the side effects, then, of course, they are:
- Hair loss. Most chemotherapy drugs lead to total hair loss.
- Nausea followed by vomiting. Chemicals come in contact with brain cells and the walls of the stomach, causing a gag reflex. To reduce these symptoms, a special diet is prescribed.
- Change in blood composition.
- Weakness. The appearance of this symptom, as well as chilliness of the extremities, fatigue, frequent breathing is a signal for a complaint to the doctor.
- Blood clotting problems.
- Change in the condition of the skin and nails.
- Decreased immunity.
Treatment after chemotherapy is prescribed by a doctor and is aimed at rehabilitating the body. In this case, the patient must abandon physical activity and eat right. Chemotherapy, which is an effective tool in the fight against the tumor, is not in doubt, it is necessary, but you need to understand that depending on the location of the tumor, the stage of the disease, it will be clear how successful it is.