What is chemotherapy?
- Chemotherapy means drug treatment in a broad sense. In other areas of medicine, especially in infectious diseases, the use of antibiotics may be called chemotherapy. When our subject is oncology, we can define chemotherapy as "treatment of cancer with drugs."
- Are the drugs different from the drugs used in other areas of medicine?
- These are drugs with different mechanisms of action and generally more severe side effects. The severity of its side effects stems from the fact that while it kills cancer cells, it also damages normal cells. They are generally administered intravenously, can also be taken orally, or administered intramuscularly. Rarely, cream forms applied to the skin can also be used. They can even be administered into the vein of a certain organ with special cannulas.
- Can we get more detailed information about chemotherapy application?
- The method we use most in practical life is the administration of drugs intravenously. As I just said, sometimes medication can be given to the vein leading to the organ. For example, in a cancer that has metastasized to the liver, it is given directly to the vein leading to the liver.
- So, its effect is more intense in this way?
- Yes, so it is more effective in that part. It also spreads throughout the body, but less amount of drug reaches other tissues.
- Is chemotherapy applied to every cancer patient?
- No, it is not. There is no rule that chemotherapy will be given to every cancer case. If we count the main treatments used in cancer, there are
1. Surgery (removal of the tumor),
2. Chemotherapy, which we call drug therapy,
3. Radiotherapy methods, which we call radiation therapy.
- Last There have been great developments in new treatment methods in recent years, but these three treatments are currently widely applied. Of course, depending on the type of cancer and its degree of prevalence, one, two or all of these treatments can be used.
- That is, radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be applied at the same time.
- Yes, it can be done. There are cancers that we call concomitant, for which we give medication and radiotherapy at the same time. You can also give chemotherapy and radiotherapy back to back. The methods listed above can be applied together in different orders in cancer treatment. For example, a patient undergoes surgery and then Radiotherapy may be administered and chemotherapy may be given. Chemotherapy is given before surgery to shrink the tumor, and then the patient is sent for surgery. After surgery, chemotherapy may be given again. In other words, the methods we call surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy can be used together or individually and in different orders. How to use them is a complicated task, requiring knowledge of oncology related to that cancer.
- What is the difference between radiotherapy and chemotherapy?
- Radiotherapy is a local treatment. It is the treatment of a certain area with radiation. Chemotherapy, on the other hand, has an effect on the whole body and also affects cancer cells that are invisible to the naked eye. In other words, it is a systemic treatment.
- In which types of cancer is chemotherapy especially preferred?
- There are so many types of cancer that it is not possible to list them one by one. As a general approach, chemotherapy is more effective in rapidly proliferating cancers. Cancers detected early require surgery, and chemotherapy is required in advanced cases. There are cancers for which surgery cannot be treated. For example, lymphomas (lymph cancers), leukemias (blood cancers). Chemotherapy is a method chosen because it is more effective than surgery in similar cancers. In other words, it should not be understood that surgery is being done because there is no possibility of surgery. Just as when you have an upper respiratory tract infection, streptococcus grows and penicillin needs to be used, there is scientific knowledge that when you have cancer of this organ, this treatment needs to be done. This information has been revealed as a result of years of experience and studies. Treatment is different for each cancer and requires oncology knowledge.
- Can we say that chemotherapy is generally used in advanced cancer cases?
- It would be more accurate to say that chemotherapy can generally be used in advanced cancer cases. Because chemotherapy can also be given after the tumor is removed after surgery. Of course, radiotherapy is also included in the treatment in various cases in both cases.
Read: 0
