Chemotherapy Pills

Chemotherapy, in its broadest sense, refers to treatment of disease by chemicals that kill cells, especially those of micro-organisms or cancer. Chemotherapy works by killing cancer cells, but unfortunately he can not tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. Chemotherapy may be given in many ways. It can be administered in a vein, injected into a body cavity, or oral form of a pill, depending on the drug is used. Chemotherapy is sometimes used with other treatments against cancer, such as radiation, surgery, or biological therapy (the use of substances to stimulate the body's immune system while fighting against cancer). Chemotherapy was formed from mustard gas which was used as a chemical weapon during WW1. Chemotherapy for cancer treatment started in the 1940s with the use of nitrogen mustard.

When cancer treatment includes chemotherapy, patients have many questions. More than half of all cancer patients receive chemotherapy. Chemo works by destroying cancer cells, but unfortunately he can not tell the difference between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So chemotherapy eliminates not only the cancer cells to grow rapidly, but also other fast growing cells in your body, including hair and blood cells.

Your course of treatment will depend on the type of cancer, chemotherapy drugs used, the treatment goal and how your body reacts. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are often given after surgery for many types of cancer including colon cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and gynecological cancers. Over time, cancer cells become more resistant to chemotherapy.

Patients who are better prepared tend to have fewer side effects and greater emotional capacity to handle chemotherapy. Patients receiving chemotherapy are more susceptible to infections. In certain circumstances, your doctor may decide your body is too weak to receive chemotherapy. You can have breaks between treatments so that your body has a chance to build healthy new cells. Side effects of chemotherapy come about because cancer cells are not the only rapidly dividing cells throughout your body. Radiation therapy directs high energy X-rays at a person's body to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy also attacks fast growing cells in your body, but unlike chemotherapy, it concerns only the specific area where treatment is concentrated. Biological therapy, also called immunotherapy, involves treatment with substances that stimulate the body's own immune system against cancer.

Receiving chemotherapy during childhood can also place some children at risk of delayed growth and cognitive development, depending on the child's age, type of drug used, dosage, and whether chemotherapy was used in addition to radiotherapy. People who receive radiation therapy before having chemotherapy may notice that the skin may become red involved, platelets, and peel once chemo begins. When a cancer has been removed by surgery or radiotherapy, chemotherapy can be used to keep cancer from returning (adjuvant). Given after surgery or radiotherapy, the goal of adjuvant therapy is to eliminate all cancer cells that may persist in your body after treatment earlier. The combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy may increase the risk of heart damage.

Chemotherapy is usually administered for approximately 6-12 months or until a patient reaches a plateau response or stable disease, especially if the treatment is well tolerated. Chemotherapy can be frightening to think. Chemo can cause short-term (acute), long-term (chronic), and permanent side effects, some of which may be severe. Chemotherapy can have many unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, mouth s.