Chemotherapy is the treatment with the help of so-called cytostatics, which are able to stop malignant tumors, or cancer cells in their reproduction and can even lead to their death. These substances can be used to treat cancer, i.e. malignant tumors. Especially in the case of cancer that can spread throughout the body, chemotherapy is a useful treatment method. However, since chemotherapy usually involves severe side effects, it is a tremendous challenge for the patient’s body.
Application
Chemotherapy is a treatment with the help of so-called cytostatics, which are able to stop malignant tumors, or cancer cells in their reproduction and can even lead to their death.
The areas of application of chemotherapy include various cancers such as breast cancer or colon cancer. Since cytostatic drugs can act throughout the body, they are mainly used to treat cancer that has already spread to several organs, even though the actual cancer is localized.
Chemotherapy has cured many patients, including leukemia and lymphoma, which are very aggressive cancers that spread throughout the body and weaken the immune system. This type of treatment is called curative therapy.
Complete cure by chemotherapy can also be achieved in local tumors (e.g. testicular cancer).
Chemotherapy is also applied to already advanced cancer, when tumors have already formed in the lymph nodes and other organs. These metastases are to be inhibited with the help of the therapy in order to achieve a higher life expectancy. In the case of advanced prostate, lung or colon cancer, for example, chemotherapy usually only has the goal of palliation, which is referred to as palliative therapy.
In modern times, the course of chemotherapy usually takes place on an outpatient basis, but in several intervals. During such a treatment cycle, the patient is administered the drugs in the form of infusions, injections or tablets. Since cancer cells belong to the fast growing cells, they are immediately attacked by the cytostatic drugs, but unfortunately also healthy cells, such as mucosal cells (also belong to the fast growing cells). In the breaks between cycles, the body can recover and, in the best case, renew the healthy tissue. Treatment is considered successful when cancerous tissue has not grown, has shrunk, or has completely disappeared.
Side effects and dangers
Since the drugs attack not only malignant tumor cells but also healthy cell, chemotherapy usually causes some side effects, which are a great burden for the body. The cells that are also attacked mainly include hair root cells, mucosal cells and hematopoietic cells in bone marrow.
Side effects include mainly nausea (often associated with vomiting), hair loss, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, anemia or blood clotting disorder, organ dysfunction and increased risk of infections. The onset of the side effect can vary widely: some may occur after a few hours or days, some after months or even years. The side effects express themselves differently depending on the dose and the duration of chemotherapy.
The patient’s physical and psychological condition also plays a decisive role in how he or she deals with the disease and whether he or she is positive about a healing effect. Many of the side effects that occur during chemotherapy can now already be reduced by applying additional therapeutic measures.
