Welcome To Chemo help
Chemotherapy:
Chemotherapy is made up of two words "Chemo" and "Therapy".'Chemo' means use of chemicals and 'therapy' means treatment. Chemotherapy is the process of dealing with those cells which cause cancer in human body.Cancer is the disease which cause uncontrolled growth of group of cells. When the these cells grows rapidly then they form lumps or tumours in body which interfear with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems. Chemotherapy is called a systematic treatment of cancer, the drug entering through the blood stream travels throughout the body and destroys the cancer cells.Chemo drugs are chemically designed to target the cancer cells.Both adults and childs can get cancer. Patient of any age can treat with chemo there is no age limit.Sometimes a patient has to stay in hospital to ge chemo.But generally patient can come to hospital or a doctor to get chemo and after that he can go to the home.There may be some side effects of chemo such as hair loss, vomiting, fatigue etc but as the treatment completes the side effects are also disappears.
Types of Chemotherapy:
Large amount of chemotherapeutic drugs can be divided into:
- Alkylating agents.
- Antimetabolites
- Anthracyclines
- Plant alkaloids
- Topoisomerase inhibitors
- and other antitumour agents.
All of these drugs will affect the division of cell or synthesis of DNA and function in some way. But some newer agents do not directly interfere with DNA those are monoclonal antibodies and new tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
How chemotherapy is given:Normally chemotherapy is given in cycles. This allows the cancer cells to be attacked at their most vulnerable times, and also allows the healthy cells to recover. Firstly the Clinical Test are done before the specific chemo drug being given to the patients. During the test doctors determine how chemo drugs are absorbed by the body of patient and how it works.Chemo drugs can be given via orally(by mouth), by Subcutaneous injection, intra-muscular chemo injections or Intravenous chemo treatments etc.
Drugs given in Chemotherapy:
Large amount of chemotherapeutic drugs can be divided in to alkylating agents, antimetabolites, anthracyclines, plant alkaloids, topoisomerase inhibitors, and other antitumour agents. All of these drugs will affect the division of cell or synthesis of DNA and function in some way.But some newer agents do not directly interfere with DNA those are monoclonal antibodies and new tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy:
The side effects are depends upon the type and dose of chemotherapy. The treatment depends on the type of cancer. you may get the treatment every day, evey week or every month.It is very good for patient that the treatment should start from the very first cancer sign or symptoms.
Precautions during the chemotherapy:
Precautions during the chemotherapy are very important because the drugs given to a patient are very strong and can also harm the healthy cells of those who are in contact with patient. Precautions will help those people around patient avoid contact with toxic and dangerous chemicals. Precautions like patient should use different bathroom or flush properly after use, use paper towels and dispose them etc.
Cancer signs/ Symptoms of cancer:
Generally seen symptoms in a cancer patinet are:
- Persistant Fatigue: It is the most common symptom and usually more common when the cancer is advanced.
- Sytemic symptoms: weight loss, poor appetite, fatigue, excessive sweting, anemia etc.
- Pain : It is not early symptom of cancer except in some specific types.
- Swelling: Thickening or lump in breast or any other part or gland of the body.
- Unusual healing or discharge of fluid from the body.
- Unusual cough.