Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of chemical substances to treat disease. In its modern-day use, it refers almost exclusively to cytostatic drugs used to treat cancer.

Side-effects

The treatment can be physically exhausting for the patient. Current chemotheraputic techniques have a range of side effects mainly affecting the fast-dividing cells of the body. Important common side-effects include (dependent on the agent):

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• hair loss
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea or constipation
• anaemia
• depression of the immune system hence (potentially lethal) infections and sepsis
• hemorrhage
• secondary neoplasms
• cardiotoxicity
• hepatotoxicity
• nephrotoxicity
• ototoxicity

Virtually all chemotherapeutic regimens can cause depression of the immune system, often by paralysing the bone marrow and leading to a decrease of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. The latter two, when they occur, are improved with blood transfusion. Neutropenia (a decrease of the neutrophil granulocyte count below 0.5 x 109/litre) can be improved with synthetic G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, e.g. filgrastim, lenograstim, Neupogen®, Neulasta®.)

Related Topics:
Immune system - Bone marrow - White blood cell - Red blood cell - Platelet - Blood transfusion - Neutropenia - Neutrophil granulocyte - Litre - G-CSF - Granulocyte

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In very severe myelosuppression, which occurs in some regimens, almost all the bone marrow stem cells (cells which produce white and red blood cells) are destroyed, meaning allogenic or autologous bone marrow cell transplants are necessary. (In autologous BMTs, cells are removed from the patient before the treatment, multiplied and then re-injected afterwards; in allogenic BMTs the source is a donor.) However, some patients still develop diseases because of this interference with bone marrow.

Related Topics:
Stem cell - White - Red blood cell - Bone marrow cell transplants

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy can be alleviated with antiemetics. Usually metoclopramide, dexamethasone or 5 hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists (dolasetron, granisetron, ondansetron) are used.

Related Topics:
Nausea - Vomiting - Antiemetic - Metoclopramide - Dexamethasone - Dolasetron - Granisetron - Ondansetron

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some studies{{ref|marijuana}} and patient groups claim that the use of cannabinoids derived from marijuana during chemotherapy greatly reduces the associated nausea and vomiting, and enables the patient to eat. Some synthetic derivatives of the active substance in marijuana (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) are in development for this indication.

Related Topics:
Cannabinoid - Marijuana - Tetrahydrocannabinol

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In particularly large tumors, such as large lymphomas, some patients develop tumor lysis syndrome from the rapid breakdown of malignant cells. Although prophylaxis is available and is often initiated in patients with large tumors, this is a dangerous side-effect which can lead to death if left untreated.

Related Topics:
Lymphoma - Tumor lysis syndrome

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chemotherapy may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and occasionally leads to secondary cancer.

Related Topics:
Cardiovascular disease - Cancer

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~