Chemotherapy involves using medication to kill cancer cells, and is a standard treatment for breast cancer. Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy, meaning that it travels through the bloodstream and kills cancer cells everywhere in the body, and not just in the breast. Using more than one drug has proved highly effective. One of the most often used combination chemotherapy regimens for breast cancer is AC, or Adriamycin and Cytoxan.
Features
The AC regimen, consisting of the drugs Adriamycin, generic name doxorubicin and Cytoxan, generic name cyclophosphamide, is a common chemotherapy regimen, according to the American Cancer Society. Adriamycin is a red-colored drug given intravenously, along with medications to help prevent nausea and vomiting; Cytoxan can be given in pill form or as an injection. The dose of the medications depends on the patient's body weight, blood counts and individual treatment plan.
How the drugs work
Adriamycin is a drug called an anthracycline antibiotic, made from a fungus commonly found in soil, according to Chemocare.com. These drugs slow down the growth of cancer cells and also kills them. Cytoxan is an alkylating drug, which means that it kills cancer cells by arresting their growth.
Side Effects
When chemotherapy drugs kill cells that divide very quickly, as cancer cells do, they also affect and kill healthy cells that divide rapidly, causing side effects. Not everyone experiences every side effect, and they typically resolve once treatment has finished. Common side effects of Adriamycin include nausea and vomiting, lowered white and red blood cell counts that can lead to anemia and increased risk of infections, mouth sores and hair loss, according to Chemocare.com. For Cytoxan, the American Cancer Society lists the side effects as including lowered white and red blood cell counts, mouth and lip sores, diarrhea, blood in urine, nausea and vomiting and loss of appetite.
Preventing Side Effects
While not all side effects can be prevented, precautions exist to help lessen the severity of side effects. Physicians commonly prescribe an anti-emetic, or medication that helps prevent or lessen nausea and vomiting prior to the start of chemotherapy. Eating small, frequent meals or snacks can also lessen feelings of nausea. To help prevent mouth sores, Chemocare.com recommends using a soft bristled toothbrush and rinsing three times daily with a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in eight ounces of water. Resting often and maintaining good nutrition can help lessen fatigue, and regular washing of the hands and avoiding crowds can minimize chances of infection.
Benefits
According to the MayoClinic.com, women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes live longer with AC chemotherapy, especially when they receive a taxane drug like paclitaxel once the AC treatment has finished. This combination of treatment also reduces the risk of the cancer returning.
Warning
Some side effects will require a medical professional's advice immediately. Chemocare.com recommends calling a health care professional immediately if a fever occurs that becomes higher than 100.5 F degrees, shortness of breath or closing of the throat, hives, and any blistering around the IV site. Patients or their caretakers should also consult a doctor if nausea, vomiting or diarrhea interferes with daily living, or occurs more than four to five times in 24 hours; any rapid or irregular heartbeats occur; extreme fatigue that prevents activities of daily living and the occurrence of black or tarry stools, which can occur with AC treatment says Chemocare.com.
