How does Chemotherapy work?
How does Chemotherapy work?
Introduction
Cancer is an autoimmune condition. It is triggered by an abnormal growth of cells. Such growth has the potential to either spread or gain access to several other organs of your body. In general, cancers are classified as two (2) distinctive types – namely, benign and malignant cancers.
Of these two, benign cancers are unlike to spread to other parts. Symptoms and signs of cancers are an inexplicable loss of body weight, altered bowel movements, non-stop coughing spells, profuse internal bleeding, formation of lumps, etc. These signs are only indicative of cancers; all these may show up due to other reasons as well. In all, more than 90 different kinds of cancers are known to affect human beings.
Use of tobacco products is a leading cause for cancer-linked mortality. Research indicates more than 1/5th of deaths is due to use of tobacco products. Nearly 1/10th of deaths is triggered by excessive use of alcohol, intake of unhealthy foods or processed food products, being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Other risk factors are exposure to pollutants and to a few types of ionized radiations. These risk factors tend to mutate cell-level genes. Nearly 7% of cancers occur owing to genetic factors inherited from your parents.
Treatment options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Other modes of treatment include palliative care, targeted therapies and hormonal therapies. Mode of treatment is chosen depending on stage of this disease, its location, type and your overall wellbeing. Not all treatments are offered for a curative purpose; some are pursued to extend life expectancy of patients.
What is chemotherapy?
Treatment of cancers through medications having anti-cancer properties is called chemotherapy. Most drugs used in this realm destroy cancer cells that multiply on a fast-track mode. Targeted therapies are also one of the sub-types of chemotherapy: here, the focus is on targeting molecule-level changes between healthy cells and cancerous cells.
Efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs changes from one type to another type of cancer. Often, chemotherapy is combined with surgical interventions. Such a combined approach is found useful for treating ovarian cancers, breast cancers, pancreatic cancers, testicular cancers, etc. Oncologists administer chemotherapeutic meds for a few types of leukemia. Treatment plan is influenced by rate of growth of cancer–cells as well as the extent of growth to nearby tissues.
What is chemotherapy process?
Drugs are usually administered via intravenous mode. However, some meds are also given orally. Meds that are given through the oral route are melphalan, busulfan and the likes. If your caregiver opts for the intravenous route, meds are administered via infusion–devices or through catheters.
You need to know catheters come in different forms viz., peripheral venous catheters, central–venous types, mid–line catheters as well as peripheral insertion catheters.
Intensity of treatment through chemotherapy is chosen based on stage your cancers are in, age of patients, site(s) affected and mode of treatment i.e., offered as inpatients or outpatients. An intrathecal mode is taken for treatment of cancers pertaining to the central nervous system i.e., CNS. In such cases, drug is offered as an injection through your spinal cord. One of the foremost concerns of caregivers is to administer meds in a manner that an overdosed situation is not triggered.
Is chemotherapy painful?
The fact is chemotherapy is not a very uncomfortable procedure. But pain becomes an undesired outcome in several sittings. Drugs delivered through intravenous mode take only 2 – 3 minutes’ time. Here, a medical oncologist delivers your drug via a needle inserted into a vein. Often, veins in your wrist or hand are opted for this purpose. Your oncologist uses a thin–tube known as catheter; it lets medications to enter into your body blood.
You are likely to experience a mild, painful feeling at the location where meds are administered. Such pains may go–off soon after your oncologist takes away the needle. Catheters are removed when the treatment session gets over. There are instances wherein it was secured for more than 2 days’ time.
Catheters called as ports can be secured to your body for a longer time–span. This approach reduces the requirement of a needle, and also helps administer several meds during each treatment cycle.
When your oncologist uses a port, it is done by offering an anaesthetic drug. The port usually does not trigger pains. But you are likely to experience milder episodes of pain once anaesthetic drugs’ effects go off. There are also instances wherein chemotherapeutic meds are administered through injections. Here, pain experienced from an injection is similar to other forms of injections – say, while getting a shot of a vaccine.
Some drugs are also delivered in the form of tablets or pills. These are delivered through the oral route. There are no apparent pains recorded while swallowing these pills.
Before chemotherapy
Prior to every chemotherapy session, you need to understand more about the drugs used. You will know that among the drugs–administered, there is a mixture of cancer-cells killing meds and drugs that mitigate your pains. Some infusion sessions may consume only a few minutes; but there are also sessions that take several hours to get over. Overall, a course of treatment may need a few weeks’ time.
It is helpful to be accompanied by a chemo-friend / chemo-pal during each of your sessions. Some medications are prescribed for use before chemotherapy. So, you will need a friend to take you for the treatment session. As the drugs taken before chemotherapy can make you tired, chemo-friends are of great help. Chemo-friends can also help passing time whenever a sitting takes a longer timespan. Your chemo-friend can also look–out for adverse outcomes like flushing or rashes on skin and take quicker support from your caregiving team.
Before chemotherapy, it is important to take ample amounts of fluids like water. This is because drugs administered for cancer may dry–up your tissues. Taking more liquids / fluids can decrease likely onset of migraines, tiredness and fatigue. It is highly recommended to take at least 7 ounces of water per hour after each chemotherapy session. It also becomes essential to keep away from caffeine-based beverages like coffee or tea; such drinks can deplete water levels in your body.
Moreover – before chemotherapy, it is a good thing to eat high-fibre, light snacks. Drugs used for chemotherapy are known to slowdown motility of foods in your gastric tract. As a result, foods you consume remain in your body for a longer period. Your caregiver will recommend eating foods that help maintain your weight or help gain body weight. In general, foods rich in calories and proteins are highly recommended.
You are also advised to stay prepared of likely side effects of chemotherapy. It is essential to be ready for undesired effects like vomiting, nausea, sleeplessness, loss of hair, bodily pains, drop in number of blood cells, decrease in appetite level, etc. Some of these adverse outcomes can also affect your nervous systems. Inform your physicians if you notice any loss of coordination, tremors, stiffening of neck or muscular aches.
Before chemotherapy, your doctor may order a complete blood count i.e., CBC. This test is ordered to know the number of cells you bone marrow makes – prior to start of treatment. It also helps to serve as a baseline to know the extent of impact chemotherapy causes on the count of blood cells
After chemotherapy
Pain is one of the likely outcomes of this mode of cancer treatment. People who took chemotherapy sessions describe pains as either numbing, burning or tingling. In some remote cases, patients have also complained of a sharp or acute sensation of pain. These pains are experienced mostly in your limbs i.e., feet and hands.
On a broader note, such pains are grouped as neuropathic pains. These show-up due to damages inflicted on your nerves either by drugs-used or by the underlying cancerous condition. A few other forms of pains can also show-up after chemotherapy sessions. These include migraines, stomach pain and joint or muscular ache. The good news is pains experienced after chemotherapy can be treated. Your caregiver may administer drugs like painkillers to ease away these pains. You are advised to use such meds as per the advice of your medical oncologist.
In essence, it is possible to experience different levels of pains during chemotherapy. Your physician may recommend you maintain a journal to note-down the intensity of pains all through your treatment plan. You are advised to consult with your caregiver whenever pains disturb your daily lifestyle.
When the pain levels are literally high, your medical team may recommend a few complementary approaches to decrease them. This includes acupressure, deep respiration, physical therapies, bio feedback and hypnosis. You are advised to talk to your doctor to know more.
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Education: Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh Experience: A dedicated health writer with 8 years of experience covering a range of health topics, including public health and nutrition. His work has appeared on reputable Indian health websites and journals such as India Health Journal and The Health Times. Ravi also collaborates with Indian health agencies on public health campaigns.