CHEMOTHERAPY: TYPES, TREATMENT, AND SIDE EFFECTS!
What Is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a medical procedure that employs medications to either eliminate or inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It frequently works in tandem with other cancer therapies including surgery or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy medications can be administered orally or intravenously, entering the bloodstream and travelling throughout the body to eradicate cancer cells wherever they may be.
Patients who receive chemotherapy treatments may endure side effects such as hair loss, nausea, vomiting, and exhaustion since these medications can also harm healthy cells. The type and stage of cancer, as well as the patient’s general health and other medical conditions, will determine the precise chemotherapy medications and treatment strategy.
Types of Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy medications come in a wide variety of forms and are categorized in various ways. Below are some of the most typical chemotherapy regimens:
- Alkylating Agents: These medications function by introducing an alkyl group to DNA, which prevents cancer cells from replicating. Cyclophosphamide, chlorambucil, and busulfan are a few examples.
- Antimetabolites: These medications imitate the components of DNA and RNA, disrupting cancer cells’ ability to operate normally. Methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, and are a few examples.
- Anthracyclines: These medications function by obstructing the activity of an enzyme required for the replication of cancer cells. Doxorubicin and epirubicin are two examples.
- Topoisomerase Inhibitors: These medications prevent the action of topoisomerases, which are essential for DNA replication. Irinotecan and etoposide are two examples.
- Mitotic Inhibitors: These medications act by preventing cell division. Paclitaxel and docetaxel are two examples.
- Platinum Compounds: By attaching to DNA, these medications stop cancer cells from proliferating. Cisplatin and carboplatin are two examples.
- Monoclonal Antibodies: These medicines, which are referred to as targeted therapies, specifically target the proteins on the outer layer of cancer cells. Trastuzumab and rituximab are two examples.
Also Read: What You Need To Know Chemotherapy?
The Stage Of Cancer At Which Chemotherapy Is Used
Depending on the type of cancer and its stage of development, chemotherapy may be administered at various stages of cancer treatment. The Chemotherapy centre in Navi Mumbai states that in order to make a tumour smaller and easier to remove, chemotherapy may occasionally be administered prior to surgery.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy denotes this. In some instances, chemotherapy may be used following surgery to eradicate any cancer cells that remained and lower the likelihood of the disease returning. The term for this is adjuvant chemotherapy.
For some cancer types, especially those that have spread past their original site, chemotherapy can also be employed as the main treatment. Chemotherapy is used in these situations to kill cancer cells throughout the body and inhibit or stop the spread of the disease.
An oncologist, who focuses on treating cancer, is often part of the healthcare team that decides whether to use chemotherapy and when to administer it. The particular course of treatment will depend on the type and stage of cancer, the patient’s general health, and any other medical disorders.
Treatment Methods Post Chemotherapy
According to an Oncologist in Navi Mumbai, the subsequent course of treatment following chemotherapy is determined by the type of cancer being treated and the patient’s response to the chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may be able to totally eradicate cancer in rare situations, leaving the patient free from further treatment. In some situations, extra therapy could be required to guarantee that every cancer cell is eliminated and stop the disease from coming back. Following chemotherapy, these typical next steps are listed:
- Surgery: To remove the tumour, if the cancer is limited and has not progressed to other body parts, surgery may be advised.
- Radiation Therapy: This involves killing cancer cells with high-energy radiation. It can be used either on its own or in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is administering medications that support the body’s immune system in identifying and eliminating cancer cells.
- Targeted Therapy: When used to treat certain types of cancer, targeted therapy includes administering medications that specifically target chemicals or proteins in cancer cells.
- Hormone Therapy: Hormone treatment is used to treat tumours including breast and prostate cancer that are susceptible to hormones. Hormone treatment stops the hormones that promote the growth of cancer cells from being produced or acting, which is how it works.
The type of cancer, the stage of the disease, the patient’s general condition, and other considerations will determine which treatment should be used following chemotherapy. Together, you and your oncologist will create a treatment strategy that is personalised for your unique requirements.
What To Know About Breast Cancer
There are things you should know to understand what breast cancer is, know your chances for getting it, and how to find it early. Finding breast cancer early is critical because when it is found early, it is easier to treat. Read to learn more about the common symptoms of breast cancer and the best way many women find breast cancer early and take affordable breast cancer treatment in Navi Mumbai.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, after skin cancer. It is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control. Cancer cells can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body
What symptoms should I look for?
Some warning signs of breast cancer are:
• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
• Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
• Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
• Pulling in of the nipple.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
• Any change in the size or shape of the breast.
• Pain in the breast.
These symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. If you notice any of these symptoms, talk to your health care provider right away.
Causes
Oncologist doctors in Navi Mumbai know that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin to grow abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do and continue to accumulate, forming a lump or mass. Cells may spread (metastasize) through your breast to your lymph nodes or to other parts of your body.
Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts (invasive ductal carcinoma). Breast cancer may also begin in the glandular tissue called lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or in other cells or tissue within the breast.
Researchers have identified hormonal, lifestyle and environmental factors that may increase your risk of breast cancer. But it’s not clear why some people who have no risk factors develop cancer, yet other people with risk factors never do. It’s likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex interaction of your genetic makeup and your environment.
Breast cancer stages
Doctors divide breast cancer into stages based on the size of the tumor and how much it has spread.
Cancers that are large or have invaded nearby tissues or organs are at a higher stage than cancers that are small or still contained in the breast. To stage breast cancer, doctors need to know:
- if the cancer is invasive or noninvasive
- how large the tumor is
- whether the lymph nodes are involved
- if the cancer has spread to nearby tissue or organs
Breast cancer has five main stages: stages 0 to 4.
Stage 0 breast cancer
Stage 0 is DCIS. Cancer cells in DCIS remain confined to the ducts in the breast and have not spread into nearby tissue.
Stage 1 breast cancer
- Stage 1A. The primary tumor is 2 centimeters (cm) wide or less. The lymph nodes are not affected.
- Stage 1B. Cancer is found in nearby lymph nodes. Either there is no tumor in the breast, or the tumor is smaller than 2 cm.
Stage 2 breast cancer
- Stage 2A. The tumor is smaller than 2 cm and has spread to 1 to 3 nearby lymph nodes, or it’s between 2 and 5 cm and hasn’t spread to any lymph nodes.
- Stage 2B. The tumor is between 2 and 5 cm and has spread to 1 to 3 axillary (armpit) lymph nodes, or it’s larger than 5 cm and hasn’t spread to any lymph nodes.
Stage 3 breast cancer
- Stage 3A.
- The cancer has spread to 4 to 9 axillary lymph nodes or has enlarged the internal mammary lymph nodes. The primary tumor can be any size.
- Tumors are greater than 5 cm. The cancer has spread to 1 to 3 axillary lymph nodes or any breastbone nodes.
- Stage 3B. A tumor has invaded the chest wall or skin and may or may not have invaded up to 9 lymph nodes.
- Stage 3C. Cancer is found in 10 or more axillary lymph nodes, lymph nodes near the collarbone, or internal mammary nodes.
Stage 4 breast cancer (metastatic breast cancer)
Stage 4 breast cancer can have a tumor of any size. Its cancer cells have spread to nearby and distant lymph nodes as well as distant organs.
The testing your doctor does will determine the stage of your breast cancer, which will affect your treatment.
Breast cancer treatment
Your breast cancer’s stage, how far it has invaded (if it has), and how big the tumor has grown all play a large part in determining what kind of treatment you’ll need.
To start, your doctor will determine your cancer’s size, stage, and grade. Your cancer’s grade describes how likely it is to grow and spread. After that, you can discuss your treatment options.
Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. Many people have additional treatments, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, or hormone therapy.
Surgery
Several types of surgery may be used to remove breast cancer, including:
- Lumpectomy. This procedure removes the tumor and some surrounding tissue, leaving the rest of the breast intact.
- Mastectomy. In this procedure, a surgeon removes an entire breast. In a double mastectomy, they remove both breasts.
- Sentinel node biopsy. This surgery removes a few of the lymph nodes that receive drainage from the tumor. These lymph nodes will be tested. If they don’t have cancer, you may not need additional surgery to remove more lymph nodes.
- Axillary lymph node dissection. If lymph nodes removed during a sentinel node biopsy contain cancer cells, your doctor may remove additional lymph nodes.
- Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. Even though breast cancer may be present in only one breast, some people elect to have a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. This surgery removes your healthy breast to lower your risk of developing breast cancer again.
Radiation therapy
With radiation therapy, high-powered beams of radiation are used to target and kill cancer cells. Most radiation treatments use external beam radiation. This technique uses a large machine on the outside of the body.
Advances in cancer treatment have also enabled doctors to irradiate cancer from inside the body.
To conduct brachytherapy, surgeons place radioactive seeds, or pellets, inside the body near the tumor site. The seeds stay there for a short period of time and work to destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment used to destroy cancer cells. Some people may undergo chemotherapy on its own, but this type of treatment is often used along with other treatments, especially surgery.
Some people will have surgery first followed by other treatments, such as chemo or radiation. This is called adjuvant therapy. Others may have chemotherapy first to shrink the cancer, called neoadjuvant therapy, and then surgery.
In some cases, doctors prefer to give chemotherapy before surgery. The hope is that the treatment will shrink the tumor, and then the surgery will not need to be as invasive.
Chemotherapy in has many unwanted side effects, so discuss your concerns with your doctor before starting treatment.
What you need to know chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body.
Chemotherapy in Juinagar, Navi Mumbai is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body.
Many different chemotherapy drugs are available. Chemotherapy drugs can be used alone or in combination to treat a wide variety of cancers.
Though chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of cancer, chemotherapy treatment also carries a risk of side effects. Some chemotherapy side effects are mild and treatable, while others can cause serious complications.
What to Expect When Having Chemotherapy:
Each chemotherapy treatment plan is created to meet a patient’s unique needs. But before treatment starts, you can expect to take these general steps.
Meet with your oncologist. The doctor will look over your medical records and do a physical exam. You will also have tests done to help plan treatment. Your exact treatment depends on the type, size, and location of the cancer. Your oncologist in Nerul, Navi Mumbai will also consider your age, your general health, and other factors, such as previous cancer treatments.
Learn about your chemotherapy treatment schedule. Your health care team will explain when and how often you need chemotherapy. Most chemotherapy treatments are given in repeating cycles. The length of a cycle depends on the drug(s) you receive. Most cycles range from 2 to 6 weeks. The number of treatment doses scheduled within each cycle also depends on the prescribed chemotherapy.
Learn how food and medicine can affect chemotherapy. Your health care team will tell you if there are restrictions or suggestions about what to eat and drink on chemotherapy days. This will help your treatment work best. Always tell your chemotherapy team about any prescription and non-prescription medicines you take.
Common side effects:
The side effects you experience while on chemotherapy depend on which drug or combination of drugs are prescribed. Different drugs cause different side effects. And each person’s experience is different. People may not experience the same side effects even when taking the same drug. And you can have different side effects than you did in the past if you take the same drug again.
Fatigue. Fatigue is feeling tired or exhausted even if you get enough sleep. It is the most common side effect of chemotherapy.
Pain. Chemotherapy sometimes causes pain. This can include:
- Headaches
- Muscle Pain
- Stomach pain
- Pain from nerve damage, such as burning, numbness, or shooting pains, usually in the fingers and toes.
Mouth and throat sores. Chemotherapy can damage the cells inside the mouth and throat. This causes painful sores in these areas, a condition called mucositis. Mouth sores usually happen 5 to 14 days after a treatment. It is also important to watch for infection in these sores.
Diarrhea. Some chemotherapy causes loose or watery bowel movements. Preventing diarrhea or treating it early helps keep you from getting dehydrated (losing too much body fluid). It also helps prevent other health problems.
Constipation. Chemotherapy can cause constipation. This means not having a bowel movement often enough or having difficult bowel movements.
Nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy can cause nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting (throwing up). Whether you have these side effects, and how often, depends on the specific drugs and dose.
Blood disorders. Your bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside your bones. It makes new blood cells. Chemotherapy affects this process, so you might have side effects from having too few blood cells.
Most side effects go away after chemotherapy is complete. But some continue or come back, or develop later. For example, some types of chemotherapy may cause permanent damage to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or reproductive system. And some people have trouble with thinking, concentrating, and memory for months or years after treatment. Cancer survivors also have a higher risk of second cancers later in life.
Children who had chemotherapy are at risk of specific side effects that happen months or years after treatment.
Outlook
The outlook for an individual receiving chemotherapy will depend largely on the type, stage, and location of the cancer and a person’s overall health. In some cases, complete remission is possible. Mangal Prabhu is the best chemotherapy center in Navi Mumbai.
There can be adverse effects, however, and people may need to adjust their lifestyle or work routine during treatment. However, these usually resolve after treatment finishes.