Monday, December 17, 2012

Definition of chemotherapy

Definition of chemotherapy


Chemotherapy is a drug (chemicals) anti-cancer Anticancer drugs are also called anti-cancer drugs. These drugs destroy and eliminate the fast-growing cancer cells and stop their growth and division. Cancer cells grow and multiply and divide rapidly works as chemotherapy to block the process of the division of cancer cells and eliminate them. These drugs have been used in the treatment of many cancers throughout the past 40 years, and there are currently more than 30 varieties in use.


And chemotherapy destroys cancer cells in all parts of the body unlike radiotherapy Radiotherapy which is limited only to destroy the cancer cells in a specific part of the body. More than half of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and helps them to recover from cancer and enjoy their lives. And the doctor to develop a plan of chemotherapy vary from patient to patient depending on several factors, including the type of tumor, where cancer, the health status of the patient, the patient's age.



Modus operandi of chemotherapy

The chemotherapy to destroy and eliminate the fast-growing cells. And where the fast-growing cancer cells are growing and multiplying and divided at a greater rate than the rate of growth of the rest of the normal body cells, the chemotherapy is destroyed. And there are some normal cells in the body grow and multiply naturally rapidly, there is no chemotherapy can differentiate between those of normal cells and cancer cells who shall destroy both. It appears in the form of the side effects of chemotherapy. But after chemotherapy ends this effect on normal cells and return to normal.


And there is more than one type of chemotherapy drugs that cancer cells grow in varying degrees. So different from the type of chemical medicine depending on type of cancer cells and their growth rate. As well as each drug has a different modus operandi and effective at a specific time of the life cycle of a cancer cell's target. So competent physician determines the type of chemotherapy drug appropriate for each case.


Routes of administration of chemotherapy

There are several different ways to give chemotherapy

Intravenous injection: in most cases, medication is given chemotherapy by intravenous injection, where a small tube is placed into a vein through the skin (usually in the arm) and be attached to a bag containing medicine chemical Wimmer medicine from the bag to the vein and thus to blood . And through blood up medicine to all parts of the body and begins to attack cancer cells.


Oral: in the form of tablets or capsules or syrup.

Intramuscular injection or injection into the skin

Injection in the spinal fluid.

And treatment is given in the hospital or at home depending on the patient's condition and the type of treatment used.


Uses chemotherapy

There are more than the use of chemotherapy, choose one of them depends on the type of tumor and the stage of the disease and the patient's condition. The use of chemotherapy in the following:

1 - healing from cancer: where chemotherapy is used to totally eliminate cancer cells and cure of cancer.

2 - Cancer Control: where chemotherapy is used to reduce the spread of cancer cells and limit the growth of cancerous tumor growth, as well as the elimination of cells that can spread from the original tumor and invade other parts of the body.

3 - Get rid of the symptoms of cancer: where chemotherapy is used to treat pain caused by cancer.

And chemotherapy may be used alone to treat cancer or may be used in addition to other types of treatment such as surgery, radiation therapy, and biological therapy. And the objective of the use beside other types of therapy as follows:

* Increases the effectiveness of radiation therapy and biological therapy in the treatment of cancer.

* Helps to destroy cancer if there is re-infection after cured, or if the cancer has spread from the original tumor to other parts of the body.

* Used before surgery or cancer before radiotherapy. And aim to reduce the size of the cancerous tumor before surgically excised or by the use of radiation therapy. And called Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

* Is also used after surgery or after radiation therapy. The goal is to eliminate and get rid of the cancer cells remaining in the body after tumor resection or after radiotherapy. And called Adjuvant Chemotherapy.


How chemotherapy uses


The doctor put a table therapeutic plan for the patient determines the type of chemical medicine and the number of meetings and duration of therapeutic and everything related to chemotherapy. And where there are more than one type of chemical drugs physician who shall choose the most effective drugs in the treatment depending on the type of cancer, stage, and health status of the patient.


And chemotherapy is given in the form of treatment cycles with a period of rest between each session and the next. And includes chemotherapy from 4 - 6 treatment cycles depending on the patient's condition and prescribed by your doctor. And the cycle continues therapeutic per day or more, and repeated every 1 - 4 weeks.


And may be taking the drug chemotherapy in a few minutes or it may take hours depending on the treatment regimen prescribed by your doctor.


Side effects of chemotherapy Side Effects


A lot of people are afraid of chemotherapy because of the rumors on the ears of multiple side effects and potential non-chemotherapy. But perhaps that concept long ago it has now become possible to control and prevent many of the side effects of chemotherapy. With some types of chemotherapy patient feels only some minor side effects.

And the patient should be well aware of the symptoms side effects that may occur with treatment and how to deal with them so as not to cause him any problems, either physical or psychological health.

What the cause of the side effects of chemotherapy?
Because the cause of the side effects of chemotherapy that affects not only the cancer cells and lead to the destruction and elimination, but it also may lead to the destruction of healthy cells in the body. Chemical where medications can not distinguish between the fast-growing cancer cells and other body cells growing healthy, such as bone marrow cells Bone marrow, which manufactures various blood cells, hair cells, and the cells lining the mouth and intestines. Is either of the side effects of treatment.


And side effects vary from patient to patient depending on the type of drug used in the treatment, duration of treatment, and health status of the patient. Usually most of the side effects of chemotherapy are temporary gradually disappear after treatment and return to normal healthy cells.


What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
These side effects include the following:



* The lack of the number of white blood cells Neutropenia and HIV Infection

* The lack of blood platelets Thrombocytopenia

* Hair Loss Hair Loss

* Nausea and vomiting Nausea & Vomiting

* Fatigue Fatigue

* Constipation Constipation

* Diarrhea Diarrhea

* Loss of appetite Loss of appetite

* Problems in the mouth and throat Mouth & Throat Problems

* Changes in the skin and nails Skin & Nail Changes

* Pain Pain

* Changes in the nervous system Nervous System Changes

* Infertility Infertility

* Changes nationality Sexual Changes



* Other side effects Other Side Effects

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