Radiation and chemotherapy, surgery are the main methods for the fight against cancer today. In some cases, they are applied separately, in others - comprehensively. We will talk today about how to get chemotherapy. We describe this treatment method, the drugs used, get acquainted with the technique of administering drugs, preparing the patient for the procedure, side effects, complications and features of rehabilitation after the event.
What is it?
Chemotherapy is a method of drug treatment aimed at combating cancers. This is the introduction into the patient's body of potent toxic drugs that can destroy cancer cells and slow down their development. It is a systemic method of treatment, sometimes the only thing that can save a person’s life. Its peculiarity is that the drugs used kill all rapidly dividing cells in the body. But this is not only cancerous. This category includes cells of the hair follicles, gastrointestinal tract, and bone marrow. Before undergoing chemotherapy, the patient must prepare for negative side effects.
How effective is the method? The question is controversial. The result is affected by the degree of progression of the cancerous tumor and its localization, the age of the patient, and the individual characteristics of the body. The correct selection of the drug is also important - depending on the previous treatment, chronic diseases, contraindications, medical disorders.
Chemotherapy can be used for various purposes: control of cancer cells, their complete destruction, alleviation of the patient's condition. And another important point: before undergoing chemotherapy, the patient must prepare for the fact that this is not a single procedure, but a course of treatment. After each injection, a break of several weeks is required for the body to recover naturally. The total average duration is 3-6 months.
The main advantages of the technique
Before undergoing chemotherapy, it is important for the patient to determine the need for such treatment. As a rule, it is prescribed to the patient, based on visible advantages:
- Drugs are able to partially or completely destroy cancer cells in the body.
- The method makes it possible to keep the disease under control: drugs significantly slow down the growth of cancer cells, allow you to eliminate areas of metastasis in time.
- Treatment helps to cope with pain. Medicines, destroying cancer cells, reduce the volume and size of the tumor. She ceases to squeeze neighboring organs, which caused pain.
- You can use both an independent therapeutic method, and a complex one with radiation therapy and surgery.
Indications for chemotherapy
Next, we will definitely tell you how chemotherapy for oncology goes. Now we will determine the indications for this procedure. They depend on the following factors:
- Features of the tumor: size, volume, location, stage of progression, degree of growth, expression, degree of metastasis, involvement of lymph nodes in the pathological process, etc.
- Individual characteristics of the patient: age, general health, the presence of chronic diseases, the condition of the regional lymph nodes.
- Evaluation of the ratio of the effectiveness of such therapy and possible risks.
Chemotherapy is always prescribed for lymph nodes, even if cancer formation is small in size. If the cancer is non-invasive, there is no threat (or it is very small) of tumor metastasis, then such a serious treatment is not prescribed. It is replaced, for example, with hormone therapy.
The main indications for chemotherapy are as follows:
- Cancerous diseases, remission of which is possible only after this therapy. These are leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, chorionocarcinoma, hemoblastosis.
- Prevention of the spread of metastases, in addition to other methods of treating cancer.
- Transfer of cancer education to an operable state for its further complete removal.
How is the treatment regimen compiled?
How is chemotherapy for lung cancer? First of all, an oncologist specializes in an individual treatment regimen for a patient. Therapy is carried out both before the operation and after it. With special care, it is made up for those suffering from obesity, diabetes mellitus, and other chronic diseases.
According to statistics, a regimen composed of a combination of drugs has an efficiency of 30-65%. From one drug - 25-65%. For each of the cancers today, there are ready-made standard schemes. They are indicated by abbreviations - the first letters of the Latin names of the drugs used.
The same set of requirements are imposed on the entire set of treatment regimens:
- The minimum level of side effects. Or such that the patient is able to tolerate.
- The drugs are selected so that there is no conflict between them. On the contrary, they should enhance the therapeutic effect of each other.
- Medicines are required to destroy all cancer cells in the patient's body. Cancer cells should not adapt to these drugs.
Preparation for the course of treatment
Recall that chemotherapy is administered not once, but in courses - every 3-5 weeks, less often - after a few months. Breaks are mandatory, the duration of which is determined by the attending physician. Usually 4-6 courses are prescribed.
How easy is chemotherapy? Unfortunately, the procedure is always associated with side effects. But in order not to aggravate their course, it is important to pay attention to proper preparation for a new therapeutic course, as well as to behavior after it:
- Try to drink as much fluid as possible.
- Give up alcohol.
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
- Undergoing chemotherapy is prohibited physiotherapeutic procedures, exposure to heat.
- Chemotherapy leads to a weakening of the immune system, the risk of catching an infection, a catarrhal disease. In such conditions, it is not prohibited to take herbal decoctions, sulfonamides, antibiotics, antipyretic drugs.
- Before the procedure, you need to have a light bite. It is not recommended to administer the medicine on an empty or on an overfilled stomach.
- Before the procedure, exclude fatty, salted and spicy foods from your diet.
- After drug administration, nutrition should be regular, plentiful and balanced.
Direct preparation for the procedure: blood donation for analysis, ultrasound examination of the liver and kidneys. Where can I get chemotherapy? The address of the recommended cancer center will also tell the attending physician. Often issued a direction. However, you can choose a clinic on your own - in your locality, in other Russian cities or abroad.
How is chemotherapy for cancer?
Many patients are concerned about what they have to survive. Here's how chemotherapy works for cancer:
- A toxic substance is introduced into the body through a thin needle that is inserted into the peripheral vein.
- The medicine enters through the catheter into the central vein.
- In rare cases, a substance is injected directly through an artery into a cancerous tumor.
- Some drugs require subcutaneous or intramuscular injection.
- In some cases, a toxic drug should enter the patient’s body slowly - in 2-3 days. Here, a special pump is used to administer the product, which controls the uniform administration of the substance.
How is cancer chemotherapy given? One or another method of drug administration is chosen by the attending doctor, based on the specific features of the disease.
Areas of chemotherapy
How is chemotherapy for cancer of the breast and other organs? We will present a number of oncological diseases and methods of chemotherapy that are special for them:
- Ovarian cancer Such treatment is used to stop metastasis, prevent relapse, before and after surgery, to relieve pain, reduce the size of the tumor. Drugs are taken orally, injected into the abdominal cavity or intravenously.
- Stomach cancer. Medications are administered before and after surgery, using chemotherapy as an independent treatment. The introduction of drugs is always carried out in a hospital under the supervision of specialists. There may be both tablet forms and intravenous administration.
- Mammary cancer. Here, chemotherapy is usually part of a comprehensive treatment. It should slow down the development of a cancerous tumor, the growth of pathogenic cells, stop metastasis, and prevent relapse. Most of all, cytostatic agents are applicable here.
- Lungs' cancer. Therapy is designed to completely destroy the formed cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be both independent, and as part of a set of measures. Cytostatics are selected individually for each patient. As a rule, the main method of their introduction is drip. Additionally, medications are prescribed to alleviate side effects.
- Rectal cancer. Where to get chemotherapy in this case? Only in stationary conditions under the supervision of an oncologist chemotherapist. Drugs are most often administered orally, in some cases intravenously. In the early stages, the pathological process is completely stopped, they are protected from relapses.
Used drugs
How is chemotherapy given? The patient is given special antitumor agents. The faster and more actively the cancer cells divide, the more effective the medication is to cope with them.
Drugs are divided into several groups:
- Alkylating. Fight cancer cells at the molecular level.
- Antibiotics. Some substances have antitumor effects, are able to destroy cancer cells at different stages of development.
- Antimetabolites. They block the metabolism (metabolism) in cancer cells, which leads to the death of the latter.
- Anthracyclines. Interact with the DNA of a pathogenic cell. Such "cooperation" leads to the death of the latter.
- Vinca alkaloids. Plant-based anti-cancer drugs.
- Platinum preparations. The effects are similar to alkylating. Based on exposure to cancer cells of heavy metal atoms.
- Epipodophyllotoxins. A synthetic analogue of mandrake extract with antitumor effects.
The main contraindications
There are a number of factors that put a course of treatment with chemicals under the ban:
- Liver metastases.
- High level of intoxication.
- Brain metastases.
- High rates of bilirubin.
- Cachexia.
Side effects
As we have already said, negative side effects cannot be avoided, since chemotherapy affects not only cancer cells, but also all actively multiplying cells. Therefore, it affects the hematopoietic system, digestive tract, mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, vagina, hair follicles, nails, and skin integuments. Some side effects go away quickly, and some need rehabilitation with a length of a few.
The most common manifestations are as follows:
- Osteoporosis.
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Hair loss. After the cessation of treatment, alopecia ceases to manifest itself.
- Dry and sensitive skin, rashes, brittle nails.
- Anemia.
- Fatigue.
- Sensitivity to infections and viruses, weakened immunity.
- Blood clotting disorder.
- Stomatitis.
- Change in smell and taste.
- Temporary or complete infertility.
Complications after the procedure
In individual cases, the use of chemotherapeutic drugs leads to the development of complications of this series:
- Typhlitis. This is inflammation of the cecum, which leads to the development of gangrene or perforation. The disease is fraught with a high level of deaths.
- Anorectal infection. Complication when administering a chemical agent orally. It is noted in 8% of patients. Mortality - 20-40%.
- Pneumonia. As a rule, a complication is diagnosed when chemotherapy is prescribed to a patient with a weakened immune system.
I must say that complications do not often manifest themselves. Their main conditions are a weakened body and aggressive chemotherapy.
Diet during rehabilitation
You now know how chemotherapy is for cancer of the breast and other organs. In order for the body to recover after such a serious impact, maintain its normal life, a balanced diet with the predominance of protein, dairy, bakery, vegetable and fruit products is necessary.
This is the following:
- Porridge, cereal and cereal products.
- Raw and boiled fruits and vegetables. Salads, juices, fresh juices from them. Do not forget to add fresh herbs to other dishes.
- Dairy and sour-milk products should be distinguished in the diet - cheese, kefir, butter, milk, yogurt, etc.
- Legumes, meat, liver, eggs, fish, soy products should take their place in the diet.
Chemotherapy today remains one of the leading treatments for cancer. Includes the use of a variety of drugs, individual treatment regimens. However, they all differ in certain side effects.