"Cancer is one of the most
dangerous diseases that have arisen in the recent decade on a faster note. The
development of cancer is so fast that it is very difficult to detect in the
initial stages. The main issue with some cancer patients is that there are no
symptoms in the initial stages and they live their normal life as it is, and
the pain starts after the cancerous cells have spread to the lymph nodes or
bones or sometimes other parts of the body.
Cancer chemotherapy is one of the
most effective and successful treatments for curing cancer. The main advantage
of this therapy is that it destroys the cancer cells. It is given in several
doses in the form of pills or injections. Sadly, chemotherapy is followed by
certain side effects, which, in certain cases, may not disappear after the
treatment is over. Therefore, before undergoing chemotherapy, it is important
that the patients should have strong will-power and determination to undergo
this therapy. The main aim of this type of treatment is to cure and control
cancer as well as ease the cancer symptoms at the earliest.
Chemotherapy can be given after
or before surgery or along with radiation therapy. If given before surgery,
then it is meant to shrink the size of the cancer, and if given after surgery,
then it is to kill the cancer cells remaining behind after surgery, and may
re-grow in the patient's body. To be given before surgery or after surgery or
along with radiation therapy depends on the condition of the patient, the
extent to which the cells have spread in his / her body and his / her age.
Also, there are different types
of chemotherapy, like first line chemotherapy, second line chemotherapy,
adjuvant chemotherapy and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Again, the type of
chemotherapy given to the patient depends on the above mentioned factors. This
type of treatment can also be given to cease bone pain, in case the cancer has
reached the bones or other parts of the body, and it is not possible to remove
it by surgery or radiation treatment or kill the cells using some combination
of chemotherapy drugs. This type is called palliative chemotherapy treatment.
Be it whatever type, chemotherapy
has proved to be successful in killing the cancer cells, reducing the size of
tumor for surgery, preventing the cells from re-growth to prevent recurrence of
cancer cells and reducing bone pain, in cases where the tumor is not curable.
This type of treatment, though backed with side effects, has also proved to be
effective to prolong the life of the cancer patients."