Chemotherapy

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CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy means treating cancer with chemotherapeutic agents or drugs which kill the cancer cells. Since the drugs can reach each and every part of the body, chemotherapy has a major role in treatment of cancer as a first line of treatment or in combination with radiotherapy or surgery. Wide range of chemo drugs are available for different types of cancers and different stages of cancers.

Single dose of chemotherapy can kill only a fraction of cancer cells in a tumour. Therefore, to kill all cancer cells in the tumour / body, repeated doses of chemotherapy are required. Current Chemotherapy regimes are cyclic i.e. given in cycles of 1-2-3-4 weeks. Duration of chemotherapy and frequency of the cycle are governed by different factors including chemo schedule, patient response, toxicity etc.

We at Dharamshila Hospital And Research Centre ensure that all chemotherapy drugs used are from National and International brands to minimize toxicities. All chemotherapies are prescribed and managed by highly experienced team of Medical Oncologists, who are well versed in managing the side effects of chemotherapy.

MODES OF CHEMO-ADMINISTRATION

• Direct Intravenous (through veins)
• Peripheral veins
• PICC lines
• Chemo ports
• Intra-arterial (through arteries)
• Intra-hepatic for liver cancer
• Intra-thecal (In the sub-arachnoid space i.e. in the sac covering the spinal cord)
• Intra-pericardial - in the pericardial space (Pericardium is the outer covering of the heart)
• Intra- peritoneal i.e in the abdominal sac for ovarian cancer
• Intra-vesicle into the urinary bladder for bladder cancer Apart from chemotherapy, various other therapies are also given to combat cancer cells e.g.
• Hormonal therapy- for hormone dependent cancers e.g. breast, prostrate, uterus, etc
• Biological therapy - for kidney and blood cancers
• Targeted therapy - to attack specific targets on cancer cells.