Chemotherapy for Cancer Treatment

Understanding how chemotherapy fights cancer

Chemotherapy helps fight cancer by destroying cancer cells with the help of drugs.

Chemotherapy slows or prevents the cancer cells’ fast cell division and expansion, depending on the type of Cancer. There are two usages for chemotherapy:

• Cancer treatment: Chemotherapy can be used to treat cancer, lessen the chance that it will return, or stop or postpone its development.
• Calming the Symptoms of Cancer: Cancer symptoms can be lessened with chemotherapy, which can be used to shrink tumours that are creating discomfort and other symptoms.

Chemotherapy is used to treat certain types of cancer.

Many different forms of cancer are treated with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy might be the only treatment you ever receive for some people. The majority of the time, however, types of chemotherapy are combined with other types of cancer treatments, depending on the sort of cancer you have, whether it has spread and where, and whether you have any other health issues, you may require a variety of treatments. For further information, check for various treatments provided at Medica Cancer Hospital.

Combining Chemotherapy with other Cancer therapies.

Combining chemotherapy with other medical procedures can:

• Reduce a tumour’s size before definite surgery or radiation treatment (known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy)
• Eliminate any remaining cancer cells that may exist following radiation or surgery (known as adjuvant chemotherapy)
• Make alternative treatments more efficient.
• Get your body rid or reduced burden of cancerous cells that have recurred or spread to new places.

Chemotherapy may result in adverse reactions.

In addition to destroying Cancer cells, Chemotherapy also kills or lessens the growth of healthy cells.. Examples include the cells that form the lining of your mouth, intestines, and those that stimulate hair growth. Negative symptoms such as mouth sores, nausea, and hair loss could be brought on by damage to healthy cells. After chemotherapy is over, common side effects frequently improve or disappear.

Fatigue, or feeling fatigued and worn out, is the most frequently suffered effect. In order to combat weariness, you can:

• Request transportation to and from treatment
• Making plans to take it easy the day before and after chemotherapy
• On the day of chemotherapy and for at least one day later, request assistance with meals and childcare.

The side effects of chemotherapy can be managed in a variety of ways. For more information, get consultation at Medica Cancer Hospital.

Costs associated with chemotherapy

Chemotherapy costs are based on:

• Chemotherapy used, including types and dosages
• The duration and frequency of chemotherapy
• Whether you receive chemotherapy at home, in a clinic or office, or while in a hospital stay.
• Depending on where you live in the country.

Inquire with your health insurance provider about the services it will cover. Chemotherapy is generally covered by insurance policies. Speak with the clinic’s administrative staff if you want to learn more.

What to anticipate with chemotherapy

How chemotherapy is conducted

There are numerous ways to conduct Chemotherapy. Typical methods include:

• Oral: available as tablets, capsules, or liquids to be ingested 
• Intravenous (IV): injects directly into a vein
• Injection: injected by way of a shot in your arm, thigh, or hip muscle, or directly beneath the skin in the fatty region of your arm, leg, or belly, (IM-intramuscular), (s/c-subcutaneous).
• Intrathecal: inserted between the tissue layers that surround the brain and spinal cord
• Intraperitoneal (IP): passes right into the peritoneal cavity, the region of your body where organs including your intestines, stomach, and liver are located.
• Intra-arterial (IA): directly put into the artery that supplies the malignancy
• Topical: is available as a cream that you apply to your skin.
• Intravesical: instill chemotherapy inside the urinary bladder via catheter.

The most common way to deliver chemotherapy is through an IV, which involves inserting a tiny needle into a vein in your hand or lower arm. Each time you receive treatment, your nurse will insert the needle and remove it at the conclusion of the procedure. Additionally, IV chemotherapy can be administered through catheters or ports, perhaps with the use of a pump.

• Catheter: A tiny, flexible tube known as a catheter. A physician or nurse inserts the catheter’s distal end into a large vein, typically in the chest area. The other end of the catheter stays external to your body. The majority of catheters are kept in place even after your chemotherapy treatments are finished. Blood can be drawn from catheters, and various drugs can be given through them. Watch for any infection signs close to your catheter.

• Port: A small, round disc known as a port is implanted under your skin during a brief procedure. A surgeon implants it before you begin your course of therapy, and it remains there until you finish. A catheter is used to attach the port to a large vein, usually in your chest. A needle might be inserted into your port by your nurse to administer chemotherapy or collect blood samples. This needle can stay in place for chemotherapy treatments that last more than a day. Watch out for infection signs close to your port.

• Pumps: Pumps are typically coupled with catheters or ports. Because they can control how much chemotherapy enters a catheter or port and how quickly, you can receive treatment outside of the hospital. Both internal and external pumps are available. Pumps external to your body remain external. Internal pumps are positioned beneath your skin during surgery.

How your doctor choose the chemotherapy medications to deliver to you?

Chemotherapy medications come in a wide variety. What ones are in your treatment plan primarily depends on:

• The sort of cancer you have, its stage,
• If you’ve had chemotherapy in the past, 
• Whether you already have health issues, like diabetes or heart disease.

Where Chemotherapy is given?

Chemotherapy can be administered while you’re in the hospital, at home, or as an outpatient at a clinic, hospital, or doctor’s office. You do not remain the night as an outpatient. Your doctor and nurse will keep an eye out for side effects and assist you in managing them no matter where you receive chemotherapy.

How frequently you have chemotherapy

There are several different chemotherapy treatment plans. The frequency and duration of your chemotherapy sessions depend on:

• Your type of cancer, its stage, 
• Whether chemotherapy is used to treat it, 
• Control growth of cancerous cells
• Calming down the symptoms.

• The kind of chemotherapy you are receiving and 
• How your body reacts to it

Chemotherapy may be given in cycles. A cycle is made up of a period of chemotherapy treatment and a resting interval. For instance, you might get chemotherapy every day for a week, then go without it for three weeks. One cycle is made up of these 4 weeks. Your body has a chance to recoup and create new, healthy cells during the interval of rest.

Not receiving chemotherapy treatments

It’s best to not miss a chemotherapy session. However, if you experience particular adverse effects from your chemotherapy on different parts of the body, your doctor may decide to alter your treatment plan. Your doctor or nurse will advise you on what to do and when to resume therapy if this occurs.

Effects of chemotherapy on a person

People respond to chemotherapy in different ways. Your mood is influenced by

• The kind of chemotherapy you’re receiving, 
• The dosage, 
• The nature of your cancer
• How far along your cancer is, 
• How you were feeling before treatment

Your doctor and nurses can’t predict how you’ll feel during chemotherapy because everyone is different and reacts to chemotherapy in various ways.

How can I tell whether chemotherapy is effective?

You’ll visit the doctor frequently. They will ask you how you are feeling, perform a physical assessment, and request tests and scans during these sessions. Blood testing is one such test. MRI, CT, and PET scans are a few examples of scans.

The adverse effects of chemotherapy cannot be used to determine if it is working. Some individuals mistakenly believe that chemotherapy is ineffective if there are no side effects or that chemotherapy is effective if there are severe side effects. In actuality, side effects are unrelated to how effectively chemotherapy is treating your illness.

During chemotherapy, a special diet is required.

Chemotherapy might create eating issues by harming the healthy cells that line your lips and intestines. If you are taking chemotherapy and are having problems eating, let your doctor or nurse know. It would be beneficial for you to consult a dietitian as well for your stronger immune system. For consultation regarding the problem, contact with our Oncologists at Medica Cancer Hospital. 

Working schedule During chemotherapy

As long as they adjust their work schedule to how they feel, many people can work while receiving Chemotherapy. The type of employment you have implies whether you might be able to work or not. If your employment permits, you might want to check if you can work a reduced schedule or from home on the days you aren’t keeping the best of health.

By law, many employers must modify your work schedule to accommodate your demands while you are receiving cancer treatment. Discuss how to modify your work throughout chemotherapy with your employer.