Chemotherapy for lung cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Chemotherapy for lung cancer is one of the most popular procedures today. The fact is that lung cancer is the leading cause of death in the world.
Often, this disease affects the elderly. Diagnosing the problem at an early stage can help in solving the problem. Competent use of diagnostic measures, and effective treatment give a good chance of recovery.
Indications for chemotherapy for lung cancer
Indications for chemotherapy for lung cancer directly depend on the disease itself and its stage. There are a number of factors that affect this. First of all attention is paid to the size of the tumor, the stage of development, the rate of growth, the degree of differentiation, expression, the degree of metastasis and involvement of regional lymph nodes, and hormonal status.
A special role is played by individual characteristics of the organism. These include age, the presence of chronic diseases, the localization of malignant cancer, as well as the state of regional lymph nodes and general health.
The doctor always assesses the risks and complications that the treatment can give. Based on all these factors, the main indications for chemotherapy are given. In general, this procedure is recommended for people who have cancer, leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma, hemoblastosis, chorionic carcinoma and others. Chemotherapy for lung cancer is a chance to recover.
The effectiveness of chemotherapy for lung cancer
The effectiveness of chemotherapy for lung cancer is quite high. But for the treatment to really give a positive result, it is necessary to carry out complex combinations. The effectiveness of modern methods of treatment is in no way connected with the severity of side effects.
Success during treatment depends on a lot. So, the stage of the disease plays a big role and the period when it was diagnosed. Naturally, one should not exclude the qualification of doctors, the equipment of an oncology center, the awareness of personnel in solving such problems. After all, not only the drugs depend on the effectiveness of treatment.
An important role is played by the use of chemotherapy, in the selection of medications and in the appointment of a treatment regimen, the histological structure of the tumor plays. Especially positively recommended are the following drugs: Cyclophosphane, Methotrexate, Vincristine, Phosphamide, Mitomycin, Etoposide, Adriamycin, Cisplatinum and
Nitrosomethyl urea. Naturally, they all have side effects, which were described in the previous paragraphs. Chemotherapy for lung cancer has proven effective.
Course of chemotherapy for lung cancer
The course of chemotherapy for lung cancer is made exclusively on an individual basis. In this case, repel the structure of the tumor, the stage of development, the site of localization and previous treatment. Usually the course consists of several drugs. They are introduced in cycles, with certain breaks of 3-5 weeks.
This "respite" is necessary in order for the body and the immune system to be able to recover again after the treatment therapy is provided. During the course of chemotherapy, the patient's diet does not change. Naturally, depending on the condition of a person, the doctor makes some adjustments.
For example, if a patient takes platinum drugs, then he needs to consume more fluid. Alcoholic drinks are prohibited. In no case can you visit the sauna, because it removes excess moisture from the body.
It is necessary to understand that chemotherapy courses can increase the risk of developing colds. Therefore, patients are advised to give preference to herbal decoctions. During the course of chemotherapy, the doctor regularly takes blood tests from the patient, performs ultrasound examination of the liver and kidneys. In women, changes in the menstrual cycle are possible. Patients may suffer from insomnia, but this is a normal process.
The number of courses depends on the condition of the patient and on how he is recovering. The optimal number is from 4-6 courses of chemotherapy. In this case, chemotherapy for lung cancer does not cause serious harm to the body.
Chemotherapy for metastases in the lungs
Chemotherapy for metastases in the lungs depends on the direct location of the tumor in relation to the surrounding organs, tissues and lymph nodes. The fact is that malignant metastases can form in almost any organ. They originate from cancer cells and are gradually transferred with a current of blood or lymph throughout the body.
Chemotherapy with metastases is carried out by one or a combination of drugs. Basically, taxanes (taxol, taxotere or abraxane), adriamycin or the drug of immune therapy Herceptin are used. Duration of treatment and possible side effects are specified by the attending physician.
Among the drugs used in combinations, taxanes and adriamycin are also used. There are certain chemotherapy schemes. Usually they are used in the following order: CAF, FAC, CEF or AC. Before using taxol or taxotere, steroid preparations are prescribed in order to reduce their side effects. Chemotherapy for lung cancer should be conducted under the guidance of an experienced specialist.
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Chemotherapy for squamous cell lung cancer
Chemotherapy for squamous cell lung cancer has its own characteristics. The fact is that squamous cell carcinoma itself is a malignant tumor that occurs against the background of the epithelial tumor of the skin and mucous membranes, growing maternity spots and papillomas, looks like a single knot or reddening in the form of a plaque that grow very quickly.
Usually, such a disease is formed on the basis of the development of skin cancer, which carries a special complexity. A distinctive feature of this disease is rapid growth. The risk group is mostly men older than 40 years. In women, this phenomenon is not so common.
Systemic therapy is used to treat cancer. It includes the use of such drugs as Cisplatin, Methotrexate and Bleomycin. Treatment is carried out in parallel with radiotherapy. Widely used and a scheme of combinations of drugs, including Taxol and remote gamma-therapy. This allows to improve the effectiveness of treatment and even leads to complete cure.
The effectiveness of treatment depends entirely on the stage of the disease. If the cancer was diagnosed at an early stage and effective treatment began, then the probability of a positive outcome is great. Chemotherapy for lung cancer gives a person a chance for a full recovery.
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Chemotherapy for pulmonary adenocarcinoma
Chemotherapy for pulmonary adenocarcinoma is quite often. The fact is that adenocarcinoma is the most common form of non-small cell carcinoma of the broncho-pulmonary system. Often it develops from cells of glandular epithelium. At the initial stage the disease does not manifest itself in any way. It develops quite slowly, hematogenous metastasis is characteristic for it.
Most often, adenocarcinoma is localized in the peripheral bronchi, and in the absence of adequate treatment - it is approximately doubled within 6 months. This form of cancer is typical for women, rather than for men. The complexity of the tumor can be varied.
Removed all with the help of serious surgical interventions. Naturally, they are all combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This significantly reduces the likelihood of a relapse in the future.
All therapy is carried out using innovative equipment that minimizes the side effects of treatment. For the treatment of adenocarcinoma, not only traditional chemotherapy drugs, but also the most modern immunomodulators are used. Chemotherapy for lung cancer allows to avoid consequences in the future.
Chemotherapy schemes for lung cancer
Schemes of chemotherapy for lung cancer are a method of treatment, which are selected individually. Naturally, the chosen scheme does not guarantee the full recovery of a person. But all the same, it allows you to get rid of unpleasant symptoms and significantly slows down the development of cancer cells.
Chemotherapy can be performed both before and after surgery. If the patient suffers from diabetes mellitus or other chronic diseases, then the scheme is selected with extreme caution. During this process, anamnesis is fully taken into account.
An effective chemotherapy regimen should have certain properties. These include the level of side effects, ideally it should be minimal. The preparations should be selected with the utmost care. The fact is that several drugs are used simultaneously during chemotherapy. Together they should interact normally and not lead to serious side effects.
The scheme, which implies chemotherapy for lung cancer, can be presented as a combination of drugs. The total efficiency is approximately 30-65%. Treatment is carried out, it may be with one drug, but in this case the appearance of a positive effect is significantly reduced.
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Preparations for chemotherapy for lung cancer
Preparations for chemotherapy for lung cancer are antitumor agents whose action is directed to the destruction and complete destruction of cancer cells. In the treatment of the disease, two types of chemotherapy can be used. The first option is the elimination of cancer by one medication. The second type of treatment involves the use of several drugs.
To date, there are many drugs that are aimed at eliminating the cancer and its consequences. There are several main types that are effective in a certain phase and have an individual mechanism of action.
Alkylating agents. These are medicines that act on cancer cells at the molecular level. Among them are Nitrosoureas, Cyclophosphane and Embichin.
Antibiotics. Many drugs of this class have antitumor activity. They are capable of destroying cancer cells at different phases of their development.
Antimetabolites. These are special medicines that are capable of blocking metabolic processes in cancer cells. As a result, this leads to their complete destruction. Some of the most effective in this genus are: 5-fluorouracil, Citarabin and Methotrexate.
Anthracyclines. The composition of each drug from this group includes certain active substances that affect the cancer cells. These medicines include: Rubomycin and Adryblastin.
Winkalkaloids. These are anti-cancer drugs, which are based on plants. They are capable of destroying the division of cancer cells and completely destroying them. This group includes medicines such as Vindesin, Vinblastine and Vincristine.
Preparations of platinum. They contain toxic substances. By their mechanism of action, they are similar to alkylating agents.
Epipodophyllotoxins. These are common antitumor drugs, which are a synthetic analogue of the active substances of the mandrake extract. The most popular are Tniposide and Etoposide.
All the above drugs are taken according to a certain scheme. This issue is decided solely by the attending physician depending on the condition of the person. All medicines cause side effects in the form of allergic reactions, nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy for lung cancer is a complex process that requires compliance with certain rules.
Contraindications to chemotherapy for lung cancer
Contraindications to chemotherapy for lung cancer, strictly speaking, like the testimony, depend on many factors. So, attention is drawn to the stage of the disease, the localization of the tumor and the individual characteristics of the patient's body.
There are a number of contraindications in which chemotherapy can not be administered in any case. So, this is an intoxication of the body. With the introduction of an additional drug, a strong reaction can occur, which will have extremely negative consequences for a person. Conduct chemotherapy can not be metastasized in the liver. If a person has a high level of bilirubin, then this procedure is also prohibited.
Chemotherapy is not performed with metastasis in the brain and in the presence of cachexia. Only an oncologist can determine the possibility of such treatment after carrying out special examinations and studying the results. After all, chemotherapy for lung cancer can cause serious harm to the body.
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Side effects of chemotherapy for lung cancer
Side effects of chemotherapy for lung cancer are not excluded. Even more, they are found in almost 99% of cases. Perhaps this is the main and only drawback of this type of treatment. The fact is that the side symptoms adversely affect the entire body.
Mostly, chemotherapy affects the cells of the hematopoietic system and blood. Strong impact is on the gastrointestinal tract, nose, hair bulbs, appendages, nails, skin and mucous membranes of the mouth. But unlike cancer cells, these can easily be restored. Therefore, negative side effects go away immediately after the abolition of this or that drug.
Some side effects of chemotherapy are fast, but others last for several years or manifest themselves in a few years. There are several major side effects. So, basically begins to manifest itself osteoporosis. It occurs against the background of such drugs as Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate and Ftoruracil.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are in second place. This is because chemotherapy affects all cells in the body. These symptoms occur immediately after this procedure is canceled.
Hair loss is quite common. After a course of chemotherapy, the hairline may be lost partially or completely. Hair growth is restored immediately after cessation of treatment.
Side effects on the skin and nails occur quite often. The nails become brittle, the skin shows a persistent sensitivity to temperature changes.
Fatigue and anemia are frequent side effects. This is due to a drop in red blood cells. Infectious complications are not excluded. The fact is that chemotherapy negatively affects the body as a whole and inhibits the work of the immune system.
Violation of blood clotting is due to chemotherapeutic treatment of blood cancer. It does not rarely manifest itself as stomatitis, changes in taste and smell, drowsiness, frequent headaches and other consequences. All these negative actions can cause chemotherapy for lung cancer.
Consequences of chemotherapy for lung cancer
The consequences of chemotherapy for lung cancer are not ruled out. First of all, the human immune system suffers. It takes a lot of time for a full recovery. While it is in a vulnerable state, various viruses and infections can enter the human body.
Chemopreparations destroy cancer cells or slow down the process of their reproduction. But, despite such a positive side of this issue, there are also negative consequences. So basically everything is manifested in the form of negative phenomena. It can be nausea, vomiting, intestinal distress and severe hair loss. Rather, it refers to side effects, but this can be safely attributed to the consequences.
Over time, signs of oppression of hematopoies may develop. It manifests itself in the form of a decrease in the number of leukocytes and hemoglobin. It is not excluded the appearance of neuropathy and the attachment of a secondary infection. That is why the period after chemotherapy is one of the most difficult. A person needs to restore his own organism and at the same time not to allow the development of serious consequences. After the chemotherapy for lung cancer is completed, the patient will begin to feel better.
Complications of chemotherapy for lung cancer
Complications of chemotherapy for lung cancer appear almost always. After all, this treatment option significantly weakens the body and makes it vulnerable to infections from the outside.
Many drugs used in chemotherapy effectively fight cancer cells and subsequently slow down the process of their development. After that comes the complete destruction. But, despite such positive dynamics, it is almost impossible to get rid of complications. More precisely, to avoid their appearance.
The first thing a person begins to feel is weakness. Then, headache, nausea, vomiting and upset stomach join. Hair can begin to fall out, a person feels constant fatigue, he has ulcers in the mouth.
Over time, signs of oppression of hematopoies begin to develop. More recently, such complications caused a person depression. All this significantly worsened the effectiveness of treatment. To date, effectively began to use anti-emetic drugs, to cool hair so that they do not fall out, etc. Therefore, fear of the consequences that chemotherapy can give in lung cancer is not worth it.
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Nutrition for chemotherapy for lung cancer
Nutrition for chemotherapy for lung cancer has no special features. Naturally, each doctor is free to make his own adjustments, depending on the condition of the patient and the drugs taken.
So, nutrition with lung cancer should be balanced. It is not recommended to eat fatty and sharp foods, as well as seasonings, onions and garlic. It is necessary to work on improving the functions of the intestine. To do this, the daily diet should be replenished with fruits, vegetables and freshly squeezed juices. They can be used in absolutely any form. In order for the organism to recover more quickly, it is recommended to eat cottage cheese and other dairy products, chicken, fish, eggs, meat, beans and nuts. If the meat causes an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth, it is worth cooking it with special sauces.
To replenish the body with carbohydrates, it is better to give preference to cereals, potatoes, rice and pasta. It is recommended to eat various cheeses, milk desserts and sweet cream. It is important to consume a lot of good quality fluid. This will remove toxic substances from the body.
Nutrition for patients with cancer should be specific. After all, it is, in fact, an important part of the entire medical process. Naturally, the diet should be composed by doctors and nutritionists. Chemotherapy for lung cancer requires compliance with certain rules for the use of a particular food.