Summary for HealthiNation’s Chemotherapy

Hosted by Dr. Holly Phillips, Internal Medicine

What Is Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is a type of drug treatment that's been used for the last 50 years to treat cancer. It is typically used to rid the body of all cancer cells, shrink the size of cancer before surgery, or to relieve the symptoms and improve the quality of life for those with cancer.

How Does Chemotherapy Work?

Chemotherapy works by infusing chemicals, or drugs, into the body. These drugs move throughout the body to target and kill cells that multiply and divide rapidly, like cancer cells do. This treatment can shrink or sometimes eliminate cancer all together. And, since the drugs reach all parts of the body, the treatment can be effective even if the disease has spread.

Unfortunately, chemotherapy drugs are not able to distinguish the difference between cancerous and healthy cells that divide and rapidly multiply. This means that healthy cells in areas of the body like the bone marrow that produces blood, the digestive system, or your hair follicles, may be killed too in the process.

How Is Chemotherapy Treatment Given?

Chemotherapy can be taken as a pill, an injection or sometimes it's applied as a skin cream. It can be given at any stage in the cancer treatment, and will often be part of a larger treatment strategy. For people with advanced cancer, chemo is used to ease their pain and suffering. Only your doctor and oncologist can determine whether chemotherapy should be part of a cancer treatment.

What Are The Side Effects Of Chemotherapy?

There are several common side effects of chemotherapy. The good news is that many of them will go away after chemotherapy treatment has ended. These side effects include:

• Mouth Sores. These can appear a few days after treatment begins, and last up to two weeks once the chemotherapy ends. You can cut your chances of getting mouth sores by taking good care of your teeth and eating right.
• Dry Mouth. Sucking on hard candies throughout the day may help to increase saliva production.
• Changes in the way food tastes: This is a common complaint, especially a metallic taste in the mouth. Some patients get relief from zinc lozenges.
• Nausea and Vomiting. This happens more in women under 50, but can affect anyone. Eating smaller meals, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding foods and smells that are unpleasant can help.
• Diarrhea. This can be caused by either the chemotherapy or the cancer itself. While this is normal under some chemotherapy treatments, it may be the sign of a larger, more serious problem. Your doctor may lower your dosage or tell you to limit certain foods.
• Pain on Swallowing.
• Loss of Appetite.
• Hair Loss. This happens because your hair follicles include cells that multiply and divide rapidly, which are the type of cells chemotherapy targets and kills. The encouraging news is that not all types of chemo have this side effect.

If you do lose your hair, it'll probably start ten to fourteen days after the first treatment.

Sometimes, you may feel itchy when the hair begins to thin. Be sure to cover your head if you'll be out in the sun. Wigs are an option for people who aren't comfortable being bald. Some insurance plans even cover the cost of these hair pieces. You can expect your hair to begin to grow back about four to six months after chemotherapy ends.

• Skin Problems. Chemotherapy may cause redness, itching, dryness, acne, and increased sensitivity to the sun. These symptoms will go away after chemotherapy ends. If you feel a burning pain where the IV is inserted, tell your doctor right away.
• Infection, Bleeding, or Bruising. Some chemotherapy affects your bone marrow, which causes changes in your blood by reducing the number of white blood cells and platelets. A low number of white blood cells weakens your immune system and leaves you more open to infection. A low number of platelets means that you may bleed or bruise more easily than usual, even though you don't have an injury.
• ”Chemobrain.” This can affect your short-term memory and emotions. You may have trouble remembering words or feel depressed or unfocused.
• Fatigue. Most side effects will last only while you are going through chemotherapy and will end soon after you finish. However, many people continue to feel run down for several months afterward.

In a small number of cases, chemotherapy may cause some long-term changes in your body, like fertility problems, damage to the heart or lungs, or even, in rare cases, leukemia or lymphoma. Doctors are very aware of these serious problems, and will consider the risks carefully based on your specific medical condition.

HealthiNation offers health information for educational purposes only; this information is not meant as medical advice. Always consult your doctor about your specific health condition.