Chemotherapy
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Chemotherapy: basic concepts and protocols
A cancer cell is a pathological unit prone to chaotic uncontrolled division. At the same time, a cancer cell, like a healthy one, grows rapidly, multiplies, which poses a real threat to life and health. Tumor cells grow, multiply, and then penetrate through the bloodstream into other organs and tissues, creating new malignant node - metastasis. Chemotherapy in oncology is the main method of treatment aimed at achieving stable remission, improving quality and saving life. Chemotherapeutic treatment can be used before and after surgery, and instead of surgery. Modern cancer medical centers use innovative methods and drugs, protocols for targeted and immunotherapy, as well as other modern methods of treatment.
About chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a drug effect on a cancerous tumor in order to destroy the formation and prevent metastases. Basically, there are two types of chemotherapy:
- cytostatic - treatment slows down cell regeneration and division, stops tumor growth;
- cytotoxic - aimed at the destruction of cancer cells and tumor necrosis.
Treatment of malignant tumors with chemotherapy is more effective in combination with other methods. The introduction of drugs is implemented in the following ways: introduction into the serous cavity, endolymphatic, systemically.
The course of treatment is prescribed only after a complete diagnostic examination in order to avoid complications. If necessary, corrective therapy is prescribed.
Chemotherapy allows:
Chemotherapy is one of the three key cancer treatments, along with surgery and radiation therapy. They are often used together. For advanced stages of cancer, chemotherapy is the only effective treatment.
Unfortunately, such treatment affects not only the foci of the disease, but also healthy cells, in particular, hair follicles, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, etc. This causes negative side effects that are temporary and can be minimized with the help of competent corrective therapy.
Peculiarities of treatment in K+31 clinic
- Highly qualified specialists
- Consulting oncology
- International protocols - taking into account foreign and Russian standards
- Drugs of the latest generations, foreign and Russian, without markups
- Modern accompanying treatment that minimizes possible side effects
- Hospitalization in a 24-hour hospital (optional/necessary)
- Detailed diagnostics (own laboratory, MRI, CT, mammography, biopsy)
- Ability to provide round-the-clock assistance, monitoring and diagnostics
- Monitoring the patient's condition between therapy cycles
- Full intensive care unit
It is possible to clarify the cost of the course by sending an email to onco@k31.ru:
- Protocol of chemotherapy course with height and weight*.
- If there is no protocol, you should contact an oncologist for a face-to-face appointment.
When applied
Depending on the type of oncological disease and the goals of treatment, the tasks facing this method of treatment may differ significantly.
Treatment of malignant diseases is carried out with the aim of curing the patient (therapeutic chemotherapy), prolonging life or alleviating the symptoms of the disease (palliative chemotherapy).
In some cases, cytostatic chemotherapy is prescribed without the presence of a visible tumor, when there is only the presence of micrometastases. Most often, after the operation, in order to prevent the recurrence of cancer or its maximum delay. This is the so-called adjuvant chemotherapy.
There are frequent cases when chemotherapy is prescribed on the eve of a planned operation in order to reduce tumor size - induction or neoadjuvant preoperative chemotherapy.
How is the treatment
Regardless of the chosen scheme, the treatment is the same and consists of several stages.
Before each course, the patient must take a series of tests: a general and biochemical blood test, a general urinalysis and an ECG. In some cases, the list of tests can be changed by the attending physician. Additional testing methods may also be required.
The oncologist checks the results of all examinations, measures weight, pulse, pressure, asks about general well-being, listens to complaints. The doctor will also find out how the recovery process went after the previous course.
If everything is in order, the patient begins anticancer treatment. First, he undergoes preparatory treatment. in the form of intravenous infusion, to prevent unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy. Immediately after graduation preparatory therapy, anticancer drugs are administered intravenously for several hours. If right to carry out preparatory treatment and comply with the necessary doses and regimen of administration of chemotherapy drugs, then, as a rule, a person does not experience any discomfort during treatment. The next step is to evaluate your general well-being. patient after a course of chemotherapy. If everything is in order, he is assigned a date for the next arrival, and he goes home.
A feature of this treatment is that the subjective deterioration in the form of weakness, nausea and loss of appetite, occurs after a few days when the patient is at home, often being tens and hundreds of kilometers from the clinic. In this case, it is important to be able to receive advice from the attending physician and the necessary instructions at any time necessary.
As a rule, in the interval between courses, it is required to take a general blood test to assess the condition of the blood. Number of courses and their frequency is set individually for each person and may change during treatment.
For an objective assessment of the effectiveness of ongoing antitumor treatment, instrumental evaluation methods are used. As a rule, these are computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and other methods can be used depending on the specific case.
Registration for a consultation
Types of chemotherapy treatment
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy - preoperative chemotherapy, may be prescribed if the doctor fears that removing the tumor will be difficult. When the desired effect of reducing the size of the tumor in the subsequent patient is achieved, surgical treatment is performed. During therapy, the sensitivity of malignant tumor cells to the drug used is also evaluated.
Adjuvant chemotherapy
Adjuvant chemotherapy - postoperative chemotherapy, is carried out if the entire tumor could not be removed, or the doctor fears that the smallest particles of cancer remain in the body. During therapy, cytotoxic drugs are used that kill malignant cancer cells.
The treatment has contraindications, so a specialist consultation is necessary.
Basic chemotherapy protocols
The planning of a chemotherapy protocol is determined by a number of factors:
- Type, stage of cancer
- Clinical history
- Patient's age
- Previous treatment protocols
It is important to consider the dosage of drugs for treatment. Too small doses and a short course will not lead to results, and excessive dosage will lead to the development of side effects, complications that outweigh the benefits and safety of therapy.
All treatment protocols are drawn up in accordance with unified international standards based on many years of experience in managing cancer patients. Oncologists offer a wide range of treatment and diagnostic measures aimed at the destruction of cancer cells and neoplasms. and saving the life and health of cancer patients.
Chemotherapy for lung cancer
For lung cancer, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy is prescribed. Targeted therapy is indicated for a separate group of patients. Thus, the drug Opdivo (active substance nivolumab) was registered and licensed in domestic medicine.
Almost all drugs for the treatment of lung cancer are a solution for intravenous administration, less often - in tablets. The total treatment cycle is 14, 21, 28 days.
Лечение при раке желудка
При раке желудка, так же проводят адъювантную или неоадъювантную химиотерапию. При метастазах химиотерапия часто единственный адекватный метод комбинированного лечения. Терапия угнетает жизнеспособность патогенных клеток, уменьшает размер опухоли, замедляет ее рост, приводит к стойкой ремиссии.
Препараты для химиотерапии при раке желудка вводятся внутривенно или в таблетированной форме. Цикл длится 14, 21 или 28 дней.
Chemotherapy course for breast cancer
Chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer are given intravenously slowly over a long period of time or about a few minutes. The duration of the cycle is 2 - 3 weeks.
Therapy can be combined, when some drugs are administered at the beginning of the cycle, and others in the middle or at the end. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy may even last for six months.
With metastases,а фоне рака молочной железы применяют монотерапию одним препаратов, когда как при ранних стадиях применяется многокомпонентное лечение.
Chemotherapy for uterine cancer
Uterine cancer requires combined administration of drugs based on paclitaxel, doxorubicin, cisplatin, carboplatin. Most often, two or more drugs are used in therapy.
To enhance the therapeutic anticancer effect, the drugs are combined with each other, and in one cycle. Sometimes, after a course of chemotherapy, treatment is supplemented with radiation, followed by repetition of chemotherapy.
Anticancer therapy for ovarian tumors
Ovarian cancer requires three or even six cycles of chemotherapy due to the hormone dependence of the pathological process. Most often, platinum, docetaxel, and paclitaxel are combined. Intravenous injection, repeated every 3-4 weeks.
Protocol for colorectal cancer
When possible, treatment begins with adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Cycling every 2-4 weeks. Number and combination of drugs determined by the stage and severity of the clinical situation.
In advanced stages, metastases, or failure to respond to other treatments, palliative chemotherapy is indicated.
All protocols in various forms of cancer use liquid forms of drugs. In order to treat metastases in the liver and organs of the hepatobiliary system, intra-arterial administration of drugs for chemotherapy is used.
Clinical cancer centers will prescribe those treatments that are appropriate to the history, severity of the disease, the age of the patient and other criteria. The goal of chemotherapy is to achieve remission, restore blood biochemistry, regulate the state of the body, and improve the quality of life. Don't neglect treatment - in most cases, cancer can be cured.
Preparation for chemotherapy
The main part of preparing for chemotherapy is the use of certain drugs that will help protect healthy organs. from the harmful effects of drugs, as well as increase the endurance of the body and reduce the manifestation of negative consequences.
As a rule, the complex of drugs includes: antiemetics, hepatoprotectors, hormonal agents and antiallergic drugs.
Lifestyle change
Many courses of chemotherapy are a serious test that requires a person to radically change their lifestyle, abandon bad habits and compliance with a number of other rules of a healthy lifestyle.
It is desirable for the patient to adhere to a balanced diet rich in a variety of minerals and vitamins. This recommendation is especially relevant for those who are wondering how to prepare for chemotherapy for cancer of the stomach or intestines.
The use of heavy, fatty foods is not recommended, especially on the eve of treatment. This may aggravate the occurrence of nausea and/or vomiting. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy products should be regularly on the patient's table. Be sure to eat steamed fish, boiled meat. Of the drinks, chamomile, ginger, mint teas are especially desirable.
Another important recommendation in preparing for chemotherapy for cancer is to consume large amounts of clean drinking water (about 2.5 liters per day). This will help speed up the metabolism and remove drug metabolites faster.
On the eve of the course of treatment, it is important to get enough sleep, to be full of strength and energy. And in general, it would be great to have a good habit - sleep at least 8 hours per day, while going to bed before 22:00, and waking up before 08:00.
Psychological moments of treatment
All of the above recommendations include physical preparation for chemotherapy. However, the moral side of the process is no less important. The patient should be prepared for a long struggle that must be won at all costs.
If a person feels that they are unable to cope with their own feelings about their diagnosis or loses faith in a cure, he needs to immediately seek help from a psychotherapist.
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