Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment for cancer that uses drugs to eliminate the cancer cells. The cancer patient should know how the procedure works, what is the result going to be and to how demanding the procedure is before going for the treatment as it helps to overcome your fears.
The treatment works by slowing the growth rate of the cancer cells which tends to grow and divide quickly but in this process the healthy cells are also compromised particularly in the intestinal area, mouth and hair cells which results in hair loss. Chemotherapy’s side effects are gone or get better once the treatment is over. Destruction of the healthy cells is one of the side effects of the treatment.
Treatment Effects:
It depends on how far cancer has progressed and the type of cancer the effect of chemotherapy varies:
Controlling the growth of cancer cells and spreading to other parts of the body through treatment
Cures cancer completely by destroying the cancer cells entirely from the body, and no trace is left.
Chemotherapy reduces tumor.
Chemotherapy procedure:
The treatment is given in some ways, and it is suggested not to skip the doses in the ongoing treatment unless and until it is suggested by the doctor due the ongoing side effects. The treatment can be done at the doctor’s office, at home, in a clinic, during a hospital stay.
Through intravenous where the treatment directly goes in the vein
Treatment is done by giving pills capsules that can orally swallowed
The treatment is directly done to the artery which feeds the cancer
Shots are re given in the arms, thighs hips or directly under the skin
Trough external usage in form of creams
Which type of chemotherapy is to be done is decided by considering the number of factors like type of cancer, how far it has progressed; the result of chemotherapy and what type of chemotherapy is to be given. The treatment is done in intervals where treatment is followed by the rest period so that the body can cope up and generate new cells.
Side effects of the treatment and Family support:
Each patient is affected differently after the treatment no two patients feel the same. However it depends on some factors like type of cancer, how far it’s progressed, type of treatment given, dosage given. Even the doctors cannot guarantee how patient will feel after the treatment.
The most common side effect is body wearing out, exhaustion, fatigue nausea vomiting and hair loss. Family members play an important role during the treatment. They provide all the mental support as well as physical support. They give proper care after the treatment like providing ample rest, driving from the cancer center back to home and vice a versa, looking after the meals and providing child care in some cases
