Stomach Cancer Chemotherapy
What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy includes anticancer drugs to destroy the cancer cells. It is known as a systemic therapy, as the drug flows through the blood stream and works in all organs of the human body. However, the use of chemotherapy may cause some side effects like hair loss, infections, nausea, fatigue and vomiting. In Chemotherapy treatment, drugs are given by injection, but sometimes oral drugs (tablets) are also used.
Chemotherapy can be used with the combination of other anti-cancer treatments like surgery and radiation therapy. It helps to slowdown the spread of cancer if the cancer has recurred after the treatment. This treatment is used when the cancer cannot be cured by any other method. During Chemotherapy a patient can be treated at home or in the hospital itself.
The drugs used in the chemotherapy for the stomach cancer treatment include epirubicin, fluorouracil and cisplatin. These drugs are administered with the combination of ECF regimen. This combination is called the ECX regimen. There is one more combination of drugs known as the EOX in which oxaliplatin, capecitabine and epirubicin drugs are used.
Chemotherapy Side-Effects
Chemotherapy also can cause some side effects on the patient's health. However, these side effects can be managed with the help of specific medicines. While destroying the cancer cells, the chemotherapy also affects the other healthy cells that can damages the body. Some of the major side effects are discussed below:
- Neutropenia: This effect suggests the reduced resistance power of a person to any type of infection. When the anti-cancer drugs affect the healthy blood cells in body, the number of white blood cells is decreased for a short period in which a person is more vulnerable to any kind of infection. Therefore, some antibiotics are given after the surgery to treat the chemotherapy side effects. Some blood tests are also performed, and injections of the stimulate factors are to improve the blood cells are given to the patient.
- Feeling Sick: chemotherapy drugs may harm the blood cells that help in blood clotting and oxygen flow, therefore, some patients may feel sick and weak. Hence, anti-sickness treatment is given to them as per the doctor's prescription.
- Diarrhea: This side effect occurs after several days of chemotherapy treatment. Then, doctor's consult should be taken to change the drugs that used in chemotherapy.
- Anaemia: when the blood cells are reduced due to chemotherapy, the energy level decreases and the patient may feel breathless. This situation is called the Anaemia. Anaemia is treated through blood transfusions.
There are some other side effects such as hair loss, early menopause, change in the sense of taste, sore hands and feet and the effects on nerves.
