Cancer treatment with chemotherapy
Chemotherapy, which may be called "chemo" for short, refers to a variety of chemicals that fight against or destroy cancer cells, with the goal of treatment being to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, causing the cancer cells not to continue to divide, and finally die.
Choosing chemotherapy regimens
Medical professionals will consider factors such as cancer type, cancer stage, age, health status of the patient, congenital disease, history of cancer treatment in the past, and the side effects of the action or resistance between various chemotherapy drugs together. Therefore, when giving chemotherapy to cancer patients, medical professionals aim or set different objectives for each patient, depending on the symptoms of the disease.
Duration of chemotherapy
Generally, doctors will give 2-3 or more types of chemotherapy. Each session can take from 4 hours to 5 days or more and the resting phase of each medication is different depending on the treatment plan. It cannot be determined how many times chemotherapy has to be given. It depends on the type of cancer, the stage of the disease, the condition and the readiness of the patient, as well as drug response. Therefore, it is very necessary for the patient to come to receive medication at every appointment for good treatment results.
Chemotherapy can affect life in some ways. Preparation before the treatment will help relieve stress, including reducing physical and mental health effects, with the following suggestions:
- Get enough rest; prepare the mind ready for treatment; reduce anxiety
- Nourish the body; eat a healthy diet from the five groups
- Drink plenty of water; not less than 2-3 liters per day
- If you have tooth cavities or you suffer from gingivitis, you should see a dentist for treatment before beginning chemotherapy, because when undergoing chemotherapy treatment, it causes low immunity. In order to maintain dental health, after receiving chemotherapy, blood must be tested before dental procedures to determine the number of platelets
- Undergo a blood test to check the body\'s readiness before chemotherapy
- Eat about 2-3 hours before receiving chemotherapy, and urinate before starting to receive medication
- If you suffer from chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or diseases that require medication regularly, you must inform the physician beforehand
Each patient may have different reactions to chemicals. Side effects that may occur with patients are as follows:
- Decreased immunity
- Liver and kidney function
- Easily bruised due to low number of platelets
- Mouth ulcers
- Anemia
- Diarrhea
- Blurred vision, irritation to the eyes, hair loss, numbness of the hands and feet
Patients undergoing chemotherapy should inform the doctor about all side effects of the medication by notifying staff when receiving the medication or before receive medication next time to allow medical professionals to adjust the dosage to suit each treatment individually.