Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is one of the main and first steps in the treatment. An important condition for successful treatment, as with any other disease, is timely (at an early stage) to detect a malignant tumor and begin treatment.
Rectal cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases. Every year around the world, this disease is diagnosed in about 1 million people. About half of the patients die.
Depending on the stage of cancer, the type of treatment is prescribed.
In addition to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are also used.
The method of treatment is appointed depending on the degree and complexity of the disease, various indicators of the patient's overall health and the characteristics of his body.
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer affects the entire body, slowing the growth of a malignant tumor, or killing cancer cells.
[Indications for chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is prescribed if, during the examination, metastases were found in the lymph nodes that are located around the rectum. In the presence of metastases, surgical treatment is ineffective or even impossible, and so chemotherapy becomes an indispensable and necessary measure.
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is a lengthy process, during which the patient is regularly injected with synthetic substances that destroy cancer cells, thereby slowing the growth of metastases and prolonging the life of the patient.
Another form of these synthetic substances is possible - tablets, which cause less harm to the whole organism and are better absorbed. But the pills are less effective in fighting cancer cells, this form of the drug is prescribed in the initial stages of cancer according to the results of the examination and the prescriptions of the doctor.
Course of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is carried out at different stages and under different conditions of the disease. The course of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer depends on the parameters of the patient before or after surgery. Depending on the course of the disease, the duration of the course of chemotherapy and its intensity may change.
The goal of the course of chemotherapy is to destroy cancer cells, to slow the growth of metastases. This type of treatment can be used both before and after the operation
Chemotherapy affects the whole body and has various side effects.
Schemes of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is not an alternative to surgical intervention, but a process that precedes it, or a process that accompanies rehabilitation after surgery.
In addition, this type of treatment, such as radiotherapy, is also used.
With surgical intervention, the cause of the disease is removed - a malignant tumor. But if there are already metastases in the radius of the affected organ - they can not be removed surgically. Various drugs compete with them in the course of chemotherapy.
There are several chemotherapy regimens:
- adjuvant, which is performed after surgical treatment of a tumor of the rectum;
- Neo-adjuvant - is performed before surgery to reduce the number of cancer cells;
- Neo-adjuvant chemoraderapia - used after surgery.
Preparations for chemotherapy of colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer includes a number of drugs that are used in this or that treatment regimen.
The traditional drug is 5-fluorouracil in combination with folinate or calcium leucovarin. In addition, platinum preparations are used.
Such standard drugs today are the most popular and effective, but at the same time, actively developing new chemicals that can more effectively fight cancer cells and slow the growth of metastases, thereby prolonging the life of the patient.
Traditional drugs that are prescribed for chemotherapy are also xeloda, oxaliplatin, CAMPTO, UFT and others.
According to recent studies, its effectiveness is successfully proven by such a drug as Eloxatin in combination with the aforementioned 5-fluorouracil.
Contraindications to chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is an injection that is designed to destroy cancer cells and slow the growth of metastases. But the synthetic drugs that are used for such injections are not universal for all patients, and therefore a thorough examination of the medical history and peculiarities of the patient's body is preliminary conducted.
The length of the course of chemotherapy depends on the stage of cancer and the complexity of the course of the disease. Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is not prescribed if surgery or radiotherapy can be more effective for the patient, give better results. The surgery is performed if a malignant tumor in the rectum can be removed by surgery, and no metastases are found in the body.
It is extremely important, for successful treatment, to detect the disease in the early stages. Then the treatment can pass as quickly and successfully as possible.
Side effects of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer not only kills cancer cells and slows the growth of metastases, but also affects the entire body. The side effects of this type of treatment are inevitable.
The side effects of chemotherapy differ depending on the drugs used and the nature of the disease as a whole.
When cancer of the rectum, as a rule, 5-fluorouracil is used. Side effects from this drug are manifested in the form of nausea, diarrhea, oral ulcers. In some cases, the number of leukocytes in the patient's blood decreases and as a result the body is extremely weakened and prone to infections. In addition, the patient may have a rash on his legs and hands.
Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer rarely causes hair loss.
Depending on the combination of drugs, the patient may experience neuropathy, that is, numbness and tingling in different parts of the body.
When Avastatin is used, side effects similar to the flu-like condition are often observed - the patient may have fever, chase, and headache.
Complications of chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
Cancer of the rectum is a serious disease, which is not always possible to apply surgical treatment. In some cases, surgical intervention can be not only impossible, but also useless.
Often the complication of rectal cancer becomes full or partial obstruction of the intestine.
Chemotherapy for rectal cancer is a fairly common form of therapy in this disease. But pronounced side effects and complications in chemotherapy.
Severe nausea, diarrhea, lowering of leukocytes in the blood and all the other side effects described above significantly reduce the quality and comfort of the patient's life.
As a rule, chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is a highly effective method of treatment, both before surgery and after. In the case of impossibility of surgical intervention, chemotherapy can significantly prolong the life of the patient, destroying cancer cells and slowing the growth of metastases.