Chemotherapy

Here is some information about chemotherapy.  I will amend this as I learn more from my consultant.  I believe that I will be taking chemotherapy in tablet form.  More to follow :)

 

How chemotherapy drugs work

Chemotherapy drugs work by stopping cancer cells reproducing.

The drugs are carried in the blood so they can reach cancer cells anywhere in the body. Different drugs| damage cancer cells in different ways. When a combination| of drugs is used each drug is chosen for its different effects.

Chemotherapy drugs are also taken up by some healthy cells. These healthy cells
can usually repair damage caused by chemotherapy but cancer cells can’t and eventually die.

Side effects

The effect that chemotherapy drugs have on some of the healthy cells in your body can cause side effects. Most side effects will go away when treatment is over.

Healthy cells in certain parts of the body, such as the bone marrow (which makes blood cells) and the digestive system, are especially sensitive to chemotherapy drugs. This is why certain side effects, such as risk of infection or feeling sick, are more common. There’s information on side effects and how they can be reduced and managed in our section on side effects|.

An overview of the side effects of chemotherapy

The side effects you get will depend on the chemotherapy drugs you’re having. Different drugs cause different side effects. Some side effects are mild and easily treated.

Others can be harder to manage but can often be reduced or helped in some way.

Most side effects are short term and usually stop or gradually go away when chemotherapy is over. Although the side effects can be unpleasant, the benefits of chemotherapy usually outweigh this.

If you’re having a single drug| you won’t usually have as many side effects as someone having a combination of drugs|. People having high doses of chemotherapy and who need to stay in hospital may have more complex side effects.

Your cancer doctor and nurse specialist will explain the side effects that your chemotherapy is likely to cause.

Always tell your doctor or nurse about any side effects. They can usually prescribe medicines to reduce them or change medicines you’re already taking to more effective ones.

 

The main areas of your body that may be affected by chemotherapy are where there’s a high turnover of normal cells, such as the:

• bone marrow (where blood cells are made)
• digestive system
• lining of your mouth
• hair follicles (where hair grows from).

 

Monitoring the effects on the cancer

During treatment, your cancer doctor may want to find out how the cancer is responding to the chemotherapy drugs.

If the cancer can be seen on a scan, you may have another scan after a few treatments of chemotherapy to see if the cancer is getting smaller. If you’re having chemotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer coming back after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy), you won’t usually need scans to check if it’s working.

With some cancers, blood tests can be used to check if treatment is working. These cancers release proteins in the blood (called tumour markers) that can be measured with a blood test. If the tumour markers are reducing it usually means the chemotherapy is working.

If results show the cancer hasn’t responded well enough, your doctor may decide to give you different chemotherapy drugs.

Having chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be given in different ways, depending on the type of cancer you have and the chemotherapy drugs| used.

It’s standard for nurses to wear gloves and a plastic apron when they give you chemotherapy. This is just a precaution to protect themselves from any spillage of the drugs.

Chemotherapy can be given:

• by injection or a ‘drip’ directly into a vein (intravenous chemotherapy)
• by mouth as tablets or capsules(oral chemotherapy)
• by other ways, including: by injection into the fluid around the spine and brain (intrathecal chemotherapy); directly into a body cavity, for example the bladder; by injection into muscle or under the skin; directly to the skin as a cream for some skin cancers.

Chemotherapy at home

If you’re having chemotherapy at home as tablets or through a pump, there are certain things to remember:

• Chemotherapy tablets, capsules or injections may need to be stored in a particular way, such as in the fridge. Always follow the instructions given by your nurse or pharmacist.
• Other people in your household should avoid direct contact with your chemotherapy drugs and avoid picking them up with bare hands.
• All drugs must be stored out of the reach of children as they could cause serious harm if taken by accident.
• If you’re having intravenous chemotherapy by pump and you notice the drug leaking from the pump or tube, you should close the clamps on the pump, wrap it in a plastic bag and wash your hands. Some hospitals provide a ‘spill’ or ‘leakage’ kit, which includes instructions on what to do if your pump leaks. You should then contact the nurse or doctor at the hospital immediately.
• If you feel unwell at any time, contact the hospital straight away on the contact number you’ve been given (day or night) for advice.

·         Individual chemotherapy drugs

·         This section contains information about individual chemotherapy drugs. It includes information about how each drug is given and possible side effects that may be experienced with each drug.

·         A chemotherapy drug can be either given on its own or in combination with other drugs. When more than one drug is given it as known as a combination chemotherapy regimen|.

·         Drugs are listed in alphabetical order; select the one that you are interested in for further information.

·         If you can't see the drug that you are looking for, it's possible that it might be better known by a brand name|.

·         Combination chemotherapy regimen

·         A chemotherapy drug can be either given on its own or in combination with other drugs. This information is about combinations of chemotherapy that might be used to treat cancer.

·         We've included information about how each regimen is given and possible side effects that may be experienced with that regimen.

·         If you can't find information about a particular regimen there is more information about chemotherapy in the individual chemotherapy drugs| section.

·         The list of regimen is in alphabetical order, select the one you are interested in for further information. 

taken from http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertreatment/Treatmenttypes/Chemotherapy/Individualdrugs/Individualdrugs.aspx