Chemotherapy for cancer

Chemotherapy for cancer is a treatment method that involves administering various drugs to the patient.

In addition, after chemotherapy, the patient will experience a number of side effects - hair loss, bleeding, nausea, and others. Side effects occur due to the effect of drugs on healthy cells in the body. Another feature of chemotherapy for cancer is that for complete treatment, it is necessary to undergo several courses, since a single administration of drugs will not give the desired effect.

Benefits of chemotherapy:

• Complete or partial destruction of cancer cells.
• Cancer control – chemotherapy drugs slow the growth of cancer cells, which allows you to control the process of their spread and destroy metastasis foci in a timely manner.
• Chemotherapy alleviates the painful symptoms of the disease. During the treatment, the cancerous tumor decreases in size and volume, which means it stops squeezing neighboring organs and tissues and does not cause painful sensations.
• Chemotherapy may be used as the only treatment for cancer or in combination with radiation therapy or surgery.

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Does chemotherapy help cancer?

Does chemotherapy help with cancer is a pressing question for patients diagnosed with cancer. The effectiveness of chemotherapy depends on the stage of cancer and its location, the patient's age and the individual characteristics of his body. Chemotherapy can be used as the only treatment method or combined with surgery and other types of therapy, which significantly increases the chances of recovery.

Chemotherapy drugs are selected individually for each patient. The choice of drug and the effectiveness of treatment depend on factors such as: the type of cancer, previous similar treatment, the presence of medical disorders and chronic diseases. The treatment regimen depends on the purpose of the course of treatment. Thus, chemotherapy can be used to control cancer cells, alleviate the symptoms of the disease or completely destroy them.

In order for chemotherapy to help cure the disease, the drugs are prescribed in courses with breaks. For example, after a week-long course of therapy, the patient is prescribed a month-long break, and then several more repeat courses are carried out. Breaks are necessary for the body to create new healthy cells and tissues.

To make sure that chemotherapy is helping, the treating oncologist periodically conducts examinations and takes tests. The patient can determine the effectiveness of the treatment by how he or she feels. Some patients mistakenly believe that if they experience severe side effects after a course of treatment, the treatment is effective. But this is not always the case, since each patient has an individual reaction to the drugs. And the effectiveness of the treatment can only be determined after several courses of chemotherapy.

Indications for chemotherapy

Indications for chemotherapy depend on the type of cancer and its stage. Treatment is carried out in cycles, which alternate with recovery periods. A course of chemotherapy can last from three months to six months. There are a number of factors that influence the indications for chemotherapy, let's look at them:

• Features of the cancerous tumor, its size, stage of development, growth rate, degree of differentiation, expression, degree of metastasis and involvement of regional lymph nodes, hormonal status.
• Individual characteristics of the patient's body, such as: age, localization of the malignant cancerous neoplasm, presence of chronic diseases, condition of regional lymph nodes and general health.
• Possible complications and positive effects of chemotherapy. The doctor evaluates the risks, complications and the likelihood of treatment effectiveness.

The indications for chemotherapy depend on the above factors. But do not forget that the indications for this type of treatment are different in each specific case. Thus, chemotherapy will never be prescribed for patients with non-invasive cancer or in cases where the probability of tumor metastasis is very small or absent. In these cases, the patient undergoes hormonal therapy. Chemotherapy is indicated in all cases of lymph node damage. The size of the tumor does not matter.

The main indications for a course of chemotherapy:

• Cancers, remission of which occurs only after a course of chemotherapy (leukemia, hemoblastosis, rhabdomyosarcoma, choriocarcinoma, and others).
• Prevention of metastasis and adjunct to other cancer treatments.
• Transferring the tumor to an operable state for more effective treatment, that is, complete removal of the cancerous formation.

Chemotherapy courses

Chemotherapy courses are designed individually for each patient and depend on the tumor structure, stage of development, location and previous treatment. As a rule, a chemotherapy course consists of several drugs that are administered in cycles with breaks of 3-5 weeks. Breaks are necessary so that the body and immune system can recreate the destroyed healthy cells and recover a little after the drug therapy.

• During the chemotherapy course, the patient's diet practically does not change, the doctor makes adjustments, taking into account the drugs used. So, if the patient is prescribed platinum drugs, then it is necessary to drink a lot of liquid, but completely refuse alcoholic beverages. It is also forbidden to visit the sauna during the chemotherapy course.
• During the therapy period, the patient should avoid exposure to direct sunlight. Physiotherapeutic and thermal procedures are prohibited.
• Chemotherapy courses increase the risk of colds. But patients are allowed to take herbal teas, antipyretics, sulfa drugs and antibiotics.
• During the chemotherapy course, the doctor regularly takes blood tests from the patient, conducts an ultrasound examination of the liver and kidneys. Women may experience changes in the menstrual cycle (irregular periods or no periods). Patients may suffer from insomnia and other side effects of chemotherapy.

The number of courses that the patient must undergo is determined by the attending physician based on the anamnesis. The optimal number is considered to be 4-6 courses of chemotherapy. After several courses, the doctor makes a preliminary prognosis of the effectiveness of the treatment and, if necessary, adjusts it.

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Chemotherapy regimens

Chemotherapy regimens are a treatment method that is selected individually for each patient. Of course, the selected drug regimen does not guarantee a complete recovery, but it helps to get rid of painful symptoms and slow down the development of cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be carried out both before and after surgery. If the patient suffers from diabetes, obesity or other chronic diseases, the regimen is selected with special care, taking into account the anamnesis data.

An effective chemotherapy regimen should have the following properties:

• The level of side effects should be minimal or such that the patient can tolerate them.
• The drugs must be carefully selected so that their interaction does not cause side effects, but rather enhances the therapeutic effect.
• The selected chemotherapy regimen should destroy all types of cancer cells. At the same time, cancer cells should not adapt to chemotherapy drugs.

A chemotherapy regimen can be presented as a combination of drugs, and the effectiveness of such a regimen will be from 30 to 65%. Chemotherapy can also be carried out with one drug, the effectiveness of such treatment will be from 25 to 60%. Let's look at the most common chemotherapy regimens.

Chemotherapy regimen	Drugs used	Cancer disease
ABVD	Adriamycin, Bleomycin, Vinblastin, Dacarbazin	Granulomatosis
BEACOPP	Cyclophosphamide, Etoposid(phosphat), Adriamycin, Procarbazin, Vincristin, Bleomycin, Prednisolone	Severe granulomatosis
CMF	Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexat, 5-Fluoruracil	Breast cancer
CHOP	Cyclophosphamide, Hydroxydaunorubicin, Vincristin, Prednisolone	Malignant lymphomas
COPP	Cyclophosphamide, Vincristin, Procarbazin, Prednisolone	T-cell and B-cell lymphocytes
CVI	Cyclophosphamide, Vincristin, Prednisolone	Lymphomas, soft tissue sarcomas, skeletal sarcomas
ECF	Epirubicin, Cisplatin, 5-Fluoruracil	Tumors of the mammary gland or stomach, granulomatosis, lymphomas
FLP	5-Fluoruracil, Folinsäure, Cisplatin	Breast cancer, colon cancer
5FUFS	5-Fluorescence, Folinsäure	Breast cancer, colon cancer
MCF	Mitomycin, Cisplatin, 5-Fluoruracil	Bone sarcomas, tumors of the stomach, intestines, esophagus, pancreas, liver, breast, uterus, bladder, and anal cancer
MTX	Methotrexate	Lymphoblastic leukemia, urothelial tumors, breast cancer, nongranulomatous lymphomas, bone sarcomas
PCV	Procarbazin, Lomustin, Vincristin	Skeletal sarcomas
TEC	Docetaxel, Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide	Breast cancer, stomach cancer, nongranulomatous lymphomas, sarcomas
PEB	Cisplatin, Etoposid, Bleomycin	Tumors of the testicles, ovaries, lungs, cervix, bladder.

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Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy for breast cancer is a method of complex treatment. The objective of this method is to slow down the process of development of malignant tumor cells in the mammary gland. As a rule, cytostatic drugs are used for treatment. Chemotherapy can be used as an independent method of treatment or applied after or before surgery. Chemotherapy helps prevent relapses of the disease and stop metastasis.

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Chemotherapy for lung cancer

Chemotherapy for lung cancer is aimed at the complete destruction of cancer cells. Treatment using antitumor drugs can be used both as monotherapy and as part of a therapeutic anticancer complex. Chemotherapy involves several courses of cytostatics administered by drip. Drugs for chemotherapy are selected individually for each patient. In addition to chemotherapy, patients are prescribed therapy to reduce the side effects of the drugs used.

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Chemotherapy for stomach cancer

Chemotherapy for stomach cancer has several directions. Thus, drugs can be used after radical operations, for postoperative intraperitoneal therapy, before surgery or as a treatment for disseminated stomach cancer. Chemotherapy is carried out in a hospital setting, under the supervision of an oncologist. The drugs are administered intravenously and are used in tablet form. The consequences of chemotherapy are destructive for the entire body, so the rehabilitation period after such treatment can last several years.

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Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer

Chemotherapy for ovarian cancer is used to stop metastasis and prevent recurrence of the disease. Chemotherapy can be used before and after radical surgeries to slow tumor growth, relieve painful symptoms, and reduce the volume of surgical treatment. Chemotherapy drugs are administered intravenously, taken orally, or injected into the abdominal cavity. There are many different drugs and treatment regimens, each with its own effectiveness and side effects. An oncologist selects the best treatment option for the patient's high chances of complete recovery.

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Chemotherapy for rectal cancer

Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is performed in a hospital setting, under the supervision of an oncologist-chemotherapist. The doctor selects a treatment regimen, determines how many chemotherapy courses are needed, and monitors the patient's condition during treatment. The drugs can be administered intravenously, but most often orally, that is, through the mouth. If chemotherapy is used in the early stages of the disease, this allows for the complete suppression of the oncological process and the prevention of its relapses in the future.

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Chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer

Chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer is a method of treating the irreversible, uncontrolled process of spreading and growing tumor cells throughout the body. A properly composed chemotherapy regimen can prolong the patient's life and significantly improve it. The survival rate of patients after chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer is 30-70%, and life expectancy is from six months to five years. Everything depends on the type of tumor, the presence of concomitant diseases and the degree of damage to vital organs.

The key indicator of the effectiveness of chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer is five-year survival. This concept refers to the patient's survival from the moment of diagnosis - stage 4 cancer. Let's consider the effectiveness of chemotherapy at stage 4 oncology, with different localizations of cancer.

• Lung cancer

When chemotherapy is administered at stage 4 lung cancer, the five-year survival rate among patients is 10%. In addition to chemotherapy, radiation therapy may be administered to alleviate symptoms of the disease and reduce the size of the tumor. This can significantly reduce the size of the tumor and destroy metastases in vital organs.

• Liver cancer

Chemotherapy for stage 4 liver cancer is effective for 6% of patients. At this stage, chemotherapy can destroy some of the metastases. But classical chemotherapy is not effective in combating the source of the disease.

• Stomach cancer

This disease, when undergoing a course of chemotherapy at the last stage, has a highly favorable prognosis, 15-20%. Palliative chemotherapy is used for treatment, which allows achieving stabilization of the course of cancer.

• Pancreatic cancer

At stage 4 cancer, chemotherapy is not effective. Five-year survival of patients is 2-5%. Chemotherapy is used to alleviate the patient's condition, reduce the size of the tumor, which compresses neighboring organs and tissues, and to destroy metastases.

• Colon cancer

In stage 4 bowel cancer, chemotherapy is used only after palliative surgical treatment. Patient survival is about 5%.

• Breast cancer

Chemotherapy is used to destroy metastases, relieve symptoms of cancer, or after surgery.

• Prostate cancer

In this disease, chemotherapy has a positive result. Thus, the survival rate of patients at stage 4 of cancer after a course of chemotherapy is about 30%. Of particular danger are metastases that disrupt the functioning of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

• Uterine cancer

The effectiveness of chemotherapy is 8-9%. The danger of stage 4 cancer is that the process affects the pelvic organs.

The therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in stage 4 cancer depends on a number of factors. Thus, the effectiveness of treatment is affected by the development of metastasis to the brain, dysfunction of vital organs, blood clotting disorders, severe pain syndrome, arterial thrombosis and other pathologies.

The main goal of chemotherapy for stage 4 cancer is to limit the spread of the tumor, reduce its growth rate, maintain the functioning of organs and systems, and prevent life-threatening complications.

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Chemotherapy drugs

Chemotherapy drugs are antitumor drugs that destroy cancer cells and kill them. In the treatment of cancer, two types of chemotherapy can be used. The first type is cancer treatment with one drug or monochemotherapy, and the second is treatment with several drugs or polychemotherapy. The second type of chemotherapy is more effective. Very often, chemotherapy is combined with other methods of treatment - surgery, radiation therapy.

There are many chemotherapy drugs and they all have a similar mechanism of action. Thus, the faster cancer cells divide and grow, the more sensitive they are to antitumor drugs and the more effective chemotherapy. All chemotherapy drugs are divided into certain groups. There are anticancer drugs that act on all phases of the cell cycle, drugs that are effective at a certain phase of cancer and cytostatics with a different mechanism of action. Let's take a closer look at some groups of drugs used in chemotherapy.

Alkylating agents

The drugs act on cancer cells at the molecular level. The most popular anticancer drugs from this group are: Cyclophosphamide, Embikhin, Nitrosoureas.

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Antibiotics

Some antibiotics have antitumor activity and effectively destroy cancer cells at different phases of the cell cycle.

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Antimetabolites

Medicines block metabolic processes in cancer cells, which leads to their destruction. The most effective drugs from this group are: Methotrexate, Cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil

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Anthracyclines

The drug contains active substances that interact with DNA and destroy cancer cells. This group of drugs includes: Rubomycin, Adriblastin.

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Vinca alkaloids

Anticancer drugs on a plant basis. They destroy the division of cancer cells and destroy them. This group of drugs includes: Vinblastine, Vincristine, Vindesine.

Platinum drugs

The preparations contain toxic substances, elements of one of the heaviest metals. According to the mechanism of action, platinum preparations are similar to alkylating agents.

Epipodophyllotoxins

Antitumor drugs that are synthetic analogues of the active substances of mandrake extract. The most popular of them are: Etoposide, Tniposide.

Each group of chemotherapy drugs has its own advantages and disadvantages. The oncologist selects the drugs for treatment, focusing on the location of the cancerous tumor, the stage and type of cancer, as well as the patient's age and the characteristics of his body.

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Contraindications to chemotherapy

Contraindications to chemotherapy, as well as indications for treatment, depend on the stage of cancer, tumor location and individual characteristics of the patient's body. So, the main contraindications to a course of chemotherapy are:

• Intoxication of the body.
• Metastasis to the liver.
• High bilirubin levels.
• Metastasis to the brain.
• Cachexia.

After conducting examinations and studying the test results, the treating oncologist draws conclusions about the effectiveness of chemotherapy or prohibits the use of this treatment method.

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Side effects of chemotherapy

Side effects of chemotherapy are the main disadvantage of this type of treatment. Side symptoms appear because chemotherapy drugs affect the entire body, affecting not only cancer cells, but also healthy cells. Chemotherapy affects cells of the hematopoietic system and blood, gastrointestinal tract, nose, hair follicles, nails, appendages, vagina, skin, and oral mucosa. But unlike cancer cells, these cells can recover. That is why the side symptoms of chemotherapy go away after the drugs are discontinued. Some side effects of chemotherapy go away quickly, while others last for several years or manifest themselves after several years.

The following side effects of chemotherapy are distinguished:

• Osteoporosis is a rarefaction and weakening of bone tissue. A side symptom occurs due to combination chemotherapy, when using drugs: Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, Fluorouracil.
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea – chemotherapy affects all cells of the body. These side symptoms are caused by disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but the symptoms go away after chemotherapy is stopped.
• Hair loss (alopecia) – after chemotherapy, hair may fall out partially or completely. Hair loss can occur both at the beginning of treatment and after several courses of chemotherapy. Hair growth is restored after treatment is stopped.
• Side effects on skin and nails – some patients may experience rashes all over the skin, dryness, itching, peeling. Nails become brittle, and skin becomes sensitive to temperature changes and mechanical damage.
• Fatigue and anemia are the most common side effects of chemotherapy. Fatigue and anemia occur due to a decrease in red blood cells in the blood.
• Infectious complications – chemotherapy significantly weakens the immune system, which makes it susceptible to various infections and viruses.
• Blood clotting disorder – most often occurs due to chemotherapy treatment of blood cancer. The main reason for the disorder is a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood. The patient experiences bleeding and hematomas on the body.
• Stomatitis – chemotherapy has a detrimental effect on the oral mucosa. Ulcers and stomatitis appear in the oral cavity. The wounds become open to any infection, fungi and viruses.
• Changes in taste and smell – the use of chemotherapy can change the usual sense of smell and taste. Many patients report the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth. This occurs because the tongue contains taste buds that transmit taste sensations to the brain. But due to the action of chemotherapy drugs, this process is disrupted.
• Effect on the reproductive system – chemotherapy causes menstrual irregularities and negatively affects the performance of the ovaries. As a result, a woman experiences temporary or complete infertility. This side effect also applies to men who undergo chemotherapy.

In addition to the side effects described above, sleep disturbances, temporary memory loss or impairment, hormonal disturbances, insomnia or increased sleepiness, frequent headaches and other consequences of chemotherapy are possible.

Complications of chemotherapy

Complications of chemotherapy occur very often, usually with aggressive chemotherapy and a weakened patient's body. The most severe complications of chemotherapy manifest as typhlitis, that is, inflammation of the cecum, anorectal infections and pneumonia. Let's take a closer look at each of the chemotherapy complications.

• Typhlitis

A very serious complication that manifests itself as minor abdominal pain. The peculiarity of this disease is that it progresses quickly, causing inflammation of the cecum, gangrene or perforation. Among patients with cancer, mortality is high precisely from this side effect. The main task of the oncologist is to diagnose the disease in time and prescribe treatment.

• Anorectal infection

Infectious lesions in the anal area occur in 8% of patients undergoing chemotherapy. The complication may arise due to the oral administration of chemotherapy drugs. Patients with a weakened immune system are susceptible to the disease, and the mortality rate for this lesion is 20-40%.

• Pneumonia

Inflammatory complications usually occur in patients with a weakened immune system. Timely diagnosis and treatment can prevent a fatal outcome of this chemotherapy complication.

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Nutrition during chemotherapy

Nutrition during chemotherapy is aimed at restoring the body and maintaining its normal functions. Thus, a balanced diet should include such groups of products as: protein, bread and cereals, fruit and vegetable and dairy groups.

Chemotherapy has an adverse effect on the digestive and gastrointestinal tract. This is why patients begin to have problems with nutrition. The main rule of recovery and maintenance of the body in cancer diseases is a balanced diet. Regular meals will help to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and other types of treatment. Let's take a closer look at each of the food groups that should be included in the diet of a patient with cancer.

• Protein products – during chemotherapy treatment, it is recommended to consume soy products, meat, liver, fish, eggs, legumes. All these products are rich in protein, B vitamins and iron.
• Dairy products – fermented milk products have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract of patients and overall well-being. It is recommended to consume kefir, milk, cheese, butter, sour milk, yogurt and other dairy products.
• Fruits and vegetables – during chemotherapy, patients should eat both cooked and raw vegetables and fruits. It is recommended to make salads, juices, fresh juices, and eat dried fruits. Do not forget about greens, which can be added to all dishes.
• Bakery products and cereals – patients with cancer should eat a variety of cereals, grains and cereals.

Before each course of chemotherapy, the patient should have a snack. It is not recommended to take drugs on an empty or overloaded stomach. During chemotherapy, it is necessary to exclude spicy dishes from the diet, as well as fried and fatty foods. But after a course of chemotherapy, the diet should be plentiful in order to restore strength.

Chemotherapy for cancer is an effective treatment method that destroys cancer cells, reduces the volume of malignant tumors and fights distant lymph nodes. Chemotherapy is selected individually for each patient. The effectiveness of this type of treatment depends on the stage of cancer, the degree of damage to the body and other individual characteristics of the patient's body.