Chemotherapy can be defined as the utilization of pharmaceuticals specifically designed to target, combat and destroy diseased cells, according to the American Cancer Society. The actual treatment is usually more effective when a combination of chemo pharmaceuticals is employed instead of simply using one kind. Chemo medication can be administered orally or intravenously, notes Drugs.com and the American Cancer Society. The precise dose and types of medication used may depend on the kind of disease being targeted by the treatment.
Late-stage Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy is often selected as a form of cancer treatment, notes MayoClinic.com. Chemo medications are often used to combat late-stage cancer such as melanoma, explains the American Cancer Society. Chemo medications may also be used to impede the growth and spread of cancerous cells, according to Drugs.com. However, the precise duration of treatment often depends on the type of cancer as well as overall responsiveness to chemotherapy. Despite chemotherapy's capacity to potentially cure late-stage cancer, it may also kill the healthy, non-cancerous cells of the body.
Palliative or Symptomatic Treatment in Cancer Patients
Chemotherapy can be used to alleviate the symptoms caused by cancer, notes MayoClinic.com. This application of chemotherapy is known as palliative or symptomatic treatment. Palliative chemotherapy may be employed to alleviate pain. However, this application of chemotherapy can be used to relieve other cancer symptoms, explains the American Cancer Society. The exact dose and kinds of chemo medications used may depend on the kind of cancer being treated. If effective, palliative chemotherapy can reduce cancer symptoms. Nevertheless, chemotherapy may induce unintended effects during the course of the treatment, notes Drugs.com.
Treatment for Cancer Before and After Surgery or Radiation Therapy
Chemotherapy can be used prior to and after tumor removal surgery, according to MayoClinic.com and the American Cancer Society. Chemo medications may also be utilized to reduce the size of tumors prior to surgery, notes MayoClinic.com. Chemo medications may be used to serve a similar function prior to radiation therapy. Moreover, chemotherapy can also be used to target and annihilate any remaining cancer cells after surgery or undergoing radiation therapy, notes MayoClinic.com. Chemo medications may interact with other kinds of medication. As such, the kinds of non-chemo medication being used must be considered prior to chemotherapy.
Treatment for Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Chemotherapy may also be used to combat other kinds of diseases, explains MayoClinic.com. Ulcerative skin diseases such as lupus as well as rheumatoid arthritis may be treated using chemo medications. The dosage of chemo medications used for this sort of treatment is generally less than the dosages used to fight cancer.
