The Versatility of Chemotherapy Treatment
What is Chemotherapy Treatment?
Most people have heard of chemotherapy, as it’s one of the most used cancer treatments worldwide. Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells in the body. A wide variety of chemotherapy drugs have been developed as cancer research has continued to advance. The treatment was traditionally administered intravenously. However, today, many patients can receive oral chemotherapy and be treated at home.
One of the reasons many people are aware of the treatment is because of the well-known side effects, which can include:
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
- Anemia
- Infections
- Sore mouth
- Bruising and bleeding
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
How Chemotherapy is Used in Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy is a versatile treatment. It can be used in various ways to help fight cancer, and it can be the only treatment required for some cancers.
It can be used as support for other treatments like surgery or radiation therapy. After the other treatments have been completed, chemotherapy is often used to kill any remaining cancer cells in the body. This is called adjuvant therapy.
Chemotherapy is often used to prepare your body for other cancer treatments. It can be used to shrink a tumor so that it can be removed surgically or treated by another, more effective method for that specific type of cancer. This type of type of application is called neoadjuvant therapy.
The treatment can also help ease cancer signs and symptoms by killing only some of the cancer cells. This use is called palliative therapy.
Other Uses for Chemotherapy
Many of the drugs used in chemotherapy have also proven to be effective in treating other diseases. Immune system disorders are one area where lower doses of chemotherapy drugs can help bring an overactive immune system under control. Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are examples of these immune system diseases.
Bone marrow diseases are another class of diseases that have also responded favorably to chemotherapy. These diseases usually require a bone marrow transplant, which is also known as a stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy can be used to prepare the body for the transplant. Chemotherapy can kill the diseased and malfunctioning blood cells remaining within the bone marrow. When the transplanted stem cells are introduced into the bloodstream and travel to the bone marrow, they can begin to make healthy, new blood cells.
Visit Vejthani Hospital for Effective Chemotherapy Treatment
The Life Cancer Center at Vejthani Hospital in Bangkok is one of the best places to undergo cancer treatment in Thailand. We use the latest advancements in cancer research and technology to offer our patients a comprehensive range of cancer services and professional care. Besides chemotherapy, we offer:
- Targeted therapy
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Bone marrow transplantation
- Surgical oncology
- CAR T-Cell therapy
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer, or are at risk of developing cancer, please make an appointment with a cancer specialist at the Life Cancer Center at Vejthani Hospital for an examination and consultation.
