Throat Cancer Chemotherapy
Throat cancer treatment is depending on different aspects like the location, the spread of the cancer and the age of the patient. However, Chemotherapy is not effective treatment to cure throat cancer, but it can control the cancer cells from spreading into other parts of the body. Hence, it decreases the chances of developing the cancer into advanced stage.
Generally, chemotherapy includes the combined use of Carboplatin and Taxol. Sometimes, Erbitux is also useful in throat cancer treatment. Chemotherapy may be used with the combination of radiation therapy in the treatment of advanced cancer. It also controls the improvement of the cancer. The medicines used in chemotherapy can be taken orally or through the veins. Mostly, it is used for the cancer that has spread beyond the throat.
Chemotherapy for Pharynx
Chemotherapy drugs are used for three different parts of pharynx that have been affected by cancer cells. They are:
- Nasopharynx : This cancer infected part can be treated by common chemotherapy medicines. These medicines include cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, bleomycin and epirubicin.
- Oropharynx : If cancer is spread in this part, combined drugs are used to treat the cancer cells. For instance, combinations of 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, pacilitaxel and carboplatin are used for chemotherapy.
- Hypopahrynx : Chemo drugs used for hypopharyngeal cancer treatment include hydroxurea, bleomycin, docetaxel and methotrexate. These medicines are used single or with the combination.
Chemotherapy Side Effects
Chemotherapy involves the use of chemicals to kill the cancer cells in the body. It controls the growth of cancer cells and prevents the cancer from spreading to other parts of body. However, chemotherapy also affects the healthy cells in the body that fight against the cancer cells. This damage to natural cells causes some side effects after chemotherapy given to the patient. These side effects include:
- Dry Mouth : Chemotherapy treatment affects the saliva production, so the mouth and lips becomes dry till the treatment is over. This side effect can be cured from drinking enough water and using ice chips.
- Infection : Chemotherapy makes the immune system weakened due to different chemicals and medicines. Hence, the body becomes more susceptible for the common infections. The body fails to fight any type of infection.
- Taste : The chemotherapy treatment makes the tongue dull for it cannot make difference between tastes. Therefore, the foods become tasteless or chalky.
- Sores : The sores in mouth and the throat can remain after the chemotherapy. Sometimes white spots and bleeding also can be found after chemotherapy.
- Pains : The chemotherapy treatment makes the mouth very soft to the hot and cold foods. So, the patients feel pains while eating these types of foods.
However, there are different side effects of chemotherapy on the patient of throat cancer, but it has been very effective in managing the throat cancer symptoms.
