Systematic Chemotherapy- An effective treatment

Cancer chemotherapy is a treatment used to weaken and destroy the cancer cell in the body. Cancer can also be treated using other methods like surgery, radiation and a combination of these treatments. Systematic chemotherapy is also an effective treatment used for treating cancer.

In systematic chemotherapy treatment we make use of injections and prescribed drugs in the form of pills. The anticancer drugs are injected directly into a vein or a muscle or they are taken orally. These drugs then enter the blood stream and reach all the areas of the human body, thus making the treatment quite effective and useful.

Along with breast cancer chemotherapy, systematic chemotherapy also has the efficiency to destroy the cancer cells completely if traced at an initial stage. The pain of many different types of cancer such as breast cancer, lung cancer, throat cancer, etc, can be reduced through this treatment. It is also very helpful in shrinking the tumors so that it can be removed later using through surgery. To enhance the rate of recovery, it can be coupled along with radiation therapy.

Most cancer chemotherapy treatments are given on an outpatient basis, i.e. either in a doctor’s chamber or a clinic or a hospital. But, for the systematic chemotherapy treatment the patient has to be taken to the hospital. This treatment cannot be taken at your home. In the advanced stage the cancer patient is required to be hospitalized for some time and depending upon the stage of cancer, the doctor prescribes the treatment.

The main aim of systematic chemotherapy is to obstruct the growth of cancerous cells and avoid them from spreading to other parts of the body. But, during the chemotherapy treatment, along with the cancer cells the normal cells also get damaged, which is one of the main reasons for the chemotherapy side effects. These side effects also depend on the type of cancer and the dose of drugs that are given to the patient. It also depends on the length of the time they are consumed.

However, these side effects are temporary and generally disappear after the treatment is over and done with. Some of the common chemotherapy side effects include hair loss, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, loss of appetite and lowered resistance to infection and diseases.