Chemotherapy is one of the most common types of cancer treatment, where different forms of drugs are inserted in the body intravenously to prevent further growth of the tumours. In most cases, this treatment is used alongside another therapy that may include targeted, hormone, or immunotherapy. Herein, the role of chemotherapy in cancer treatment also depends upon several factors.
Some of such factors that the oncologist may diagnose include your overall health condition as well as the stage and location of the cancer. Based on these factors, the doctor will determine whether it is a metastatic or primary cancer. Before starting the chemo procedure, the doctor will give you a personalized treatment routine, where you must also communicate with the doctor regarding the side effects of it.
Given below is a brief overview of the types, roles, and probable side effects of chemotherapy in cancer treatment.
Types
While consulting a reputed cancer specialist in Siliguri, you will get to know that various types of chemotherapy, where the usage of one depends upon the goal of the cancer treatment.
1. Curative Therapy
Curative therapy is one of the most effective types of chemo which plays the role of preventing the reoccurrence of the cancer and its spread to other body parts. A complete remission can be attained with this method which is also sometimes known as the aggressive treatment, where it can contribute to prolonging your life. In some cases, this approach may include surgical procedures or radiation to stop the cancer from coming back.
2. Palliative Therapy
Palliative therapy is another type of chemo which is mainly recommended by the doctor when a meta-sized cancer is present. In such instances, the key role of chemotherapy is to use palliative treatment for shrinking the cancer and offering you an improved life quality while easing the distressing symptoms. Most patients show improvements within 2 cycles of the therapy with a stable health condition. You can may think that this therapy is offered in the last stage but you must know that it can be used at any point of the cancer.
3. Adjuvant Therapy
In the initial stage, the doctor usually recommends radiation therapy or surgery to remove the abnormal growths or cancer tissues. For a complete removal of the tissues, the doctor can also ask you to undergo some of the cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy which stops the cancer from coming back again due to the presence of some remaining cells. The cancer doctor in Siliguri mainly increases the effectiveness of the main treatment with this approach.
4. Neo-Adjuvant Therapy
Unlike adjuvant therapy, neo-adjuvant therapy is used before the main treatment to increase the rate of its success. This approach is mainly multimodality treatment where it is used to treat lung, breast, and colon cancers. As compared to other treatment approaches, neo-adjuvant therapy is more reliable and can improve the overall recovery process. Herein, if the tumor is shrunk with this method before the surgery then the surgical procedure will also become easy for the oncologists.
Major Roles
The role of chemo in cancer treatment also depends upon the location and type of cancer you’re suffering from.
- The first and most beneficial role of chemotherapy is to ease the painful symptoms of cancer. In some cases, chemo cannot cure the cancer completely but it can definitely shrink the malignant tumors associated with the symptoms. The common symptoms resolved with this approach are difficulty swallowing, painful lump in the skin, unexplained bruising, fatigue, and weight changes.
- Another significant role of it is to cure cancer completely. In most cases, the cancer cells can be destroyed completely with the help of chemo which can offer you the best treatment outcome. In such scenarios, the cancer doesn’t return, and you can go back to your normal life. The oncologist in Siliguri often recommends periodical checks to detect any presence of cancer cells.
- Chemotherapy also plays a major role in controlling the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. The slow growth of tumours makes the recovery process successful. In most scenarios, the treatment approach becomes ineffective due to the quick division and growth of the cancer cells. This consequence of cancer can be resolved by chemotherapy.
Side Effects
Chemotherapy is indeed a successful method to treat cancer but along with destroying the cancer cells it also damages some of the healthy cells around the tumors. This is why, before opting for the treatment you must be clear about the side effects of it. Some of the common side effects of chemo include loss of appetite, anaemia, hair loss, constipation, nausea, fatigue, and infection.
If you’re willing to conceive in the upcoming days then you must ask the oncologist about the role of chemotherapy in reducing fertility rates. It is always a better option to clear all your queries about the treatment and its associated risk factors before undergoing it.