Chemotherapy
The treatment which uses chemical medicines or drugs for the killing or damaging of the unwanted tumor cells, is called chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is usually started after radiation therapy in order to prevent the tumor from resurfacing. These anti-cancer drugs stop or slow down the growth rate of cancer cells, because tumor cells divide at a faster rate than normal human cells. It also helps reduce the side effects caused by tumor. The time period to treat a patient with chemotherapy depends on the type of tumor being treated, the required result and the way the body is responding to the chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a systematic treatment which kills the cells that are dividing. Each chemotherapy drug has its own way to stop the cell division. Some chemical drugs damage the cytoplasm in order to stop the division of cells. Some damage the cells when they are about to split, other stop the division during the replication of genes. The drug can be injected directly into the blood vessel with the help of an injection, or can be used in the form of a tablet or a gel. Chemotherapy does not target the static or non-dividing cells.
The side effects vary according to the strength of the chemical dose being consumed. Some common side effects are:
- Memory loss
- Concentration problems
- Hair loss
- Breathlessness