Recovery from cancer is not a cakewalk. The first thing that strikes our mind when it comes to cancer is chemotherapy. It’s a treatment used to kill cancer cells through intravenous administration of the drugs.
These drugs are designed to destroy the rapidly multiplying cells, thus inhibiting cancer growth. While chemotherapy treatment in Navi Mumbai is quite effective in treating cancer, the procedure comes with many side effects. Besides, there’s no guarantee it will cure cancer and prevent relapse.
How Chemotherapy Works
Depending on the type and stage of cancer, chemotherapy can be used as a standalone procedure or in conjunction with radiation therapy and surgery. It can shrink the tumor and destroy cancer cells. Most chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously, but your doctor might recommend a topical application, a single injection shot, or pills.
An oncologist in Navi Mumbai will tell you the number of chemotherapy sessions you need to undergo to kill cancer. Then, based on how your body responds to the treatment, your doctor will either stick to the plan or advise additional treatment, such as surgical removal of the tumor, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy, for the best outcome.
Effectiveness of Chemotherapy
The effectiveness of chemotherapy can vary for each patient. It depends on the type of cancer, the patient’s overall health, the size of the tumor, and how far it’s spread. However, studies show that those exposed to chemotherapy have a better survival rate than those who never undergo chemo. The sooner you report your symptoms and get an accurate diagnosis, the higher your survival rates.
Note that cancer can return even after you are declared cancer-free. Some types of cancer have a chance of relapse, requiring more rounds of chemotherapy. Your oncologist will schedule regular follow-up visits to ensure the cancer has not returned.
Limitations of Chemotherapy
The chemo session isn’t always painful, especially not for those taking it through pills and topical. Intravenous chemo and injections can hurt a little, but it’s nothing more than a slight burning sensation.
Chemotherapy is used to destroy the rapidly growing cells in your body. That’s how it helps kill cancer fast. However, cancer cells are not the only cells that multiply quickly. The cells in your skin, hair follicles, digestive tracts, and other parts of the body also grow fast.
Cancer treatment can also destroy these healthy cells, leading to side effects such as hair loss, fatigue, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and infection. The good news is that the side effects of chemotherapy last for a short while, usually until your treatment stops. Some side effects are, however, permanent. They include infertility, heart problems, and early menopause.
Conclusion
Chemotherapy is an effective way to kill cancer, but the treatment comes with side effects and is usually advised with surgery and other procedures. Ask your oncologist about the success rate of chemotherapy and the side effects. Fortunately, some types of cancer disappear completely following the chemotherapy and don’t require additional treatment. But there’s always a chance of a relapse.
