What is chemotherapy

Speaking of chemotherapy, I believe everyone is familiar with it. This is a treatment method developed for cancer. According to current medical technology and medical level, chemotherapy is the most effective way to treat cancer, and is usually used in combination with surgery and radiotherapy. However, although chemotherapy is effective, it kills cancer cells while causing serious harm to healthy cells in the body. This article explains in detail what chemotherapy is.

1. Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the abbreviation of chemotherapy, which achieves the treatment purpose by using chemotherapy drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is currently one of the most effective methods for treating cancer, and is considered one of the three major cancer treatments along with surgery and radiotherapy. Surgery and radiotherapy are local treatments and are only effective for tumors at the treatment site. They are difficult to effectively treat potential metastatic lesions (cancer cells have actually metastasized, but cannot be discovered and detected clinically due to current technical limitations) and cancers that have already undergone clinical metastasis. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment method. No matter what route of administration is used (oral, intravenous, and intracavitary administration, etc.), chemotherapy drugs will circulate in the blood and spread to most organs and tissues in the body. Therefore, chemotherapy is the main treatment for some tumors that tend to spread throughout the body and for some late-stage tumors that have already metastasized.

2. Indications

In what situations is chemotherapy necessary and what regimen should be chosen? This question is highly professional and should be determined by an oncologist based on the patient's specific circumstances. Generally speaking, chemotherapy should be given in the following situations:

1. Malignant tumors that are sensitive to chemotherapy and are treated with chemotherapy as the main means of treatment may be cured through standardized chemotherapy. For example, small cell lung cancer, leukemia, malignant lymphoma, choriocarcinoma, germ cell malignant tumors, etc.

2. For sensitive or relatively sensitive malignant tumors, chemotherapy should be performed before or after surgery.

3. Palliative chemotherapy for advanced malignant tumors.

3. Side Effects

Chemotherapy drugs are cytotoxic drugs, which may have some toxic side effects, the most common of which are:

1. Digestive system reaction

Such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation. Among them, nausea and vomiting is one of the most common reactions to chemotherapy. In recent years, some powerful and effective antiemetic drugs have been launched on the market, which greatly reduces the nausea and vomiting reactions after chemotherapy.

2. Bone marrow suppression

Such as leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Generally, the condition will recover on its own 1 to 2 weeks after stopping chemotherapy. For some more serious bone marrow suppression, there are drugs available that can effectively increase leukemia and platelets, so there is no need to worry.

3. Hair loss

Some chemotherapy drugs may cause hair loss, but hair loss is reversible and new hair will grow back after chemotherapy is stopped.

4. Others

Such as liver and kidney damage.

Most of the adverse reactions and toxic side effects of chemotherapy are reversible and can be controlled or alleviated through the use of some auxiliary drugs. However, chemotherapy is a relatively intensive treatment method after all. Therefore, clinicians should strictly grasp the indications for chemotherapy, formulate chemotherapy plans in a standardized and reasonable manner, and take necessary preventive measures.