Chemotherapy, in short, can be explained as a type of medical treatment by using specific medicines or combination of medicines to treat cancer. In short called chemo, is a systematic therapy that aims to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells in the patient’s body by disturbing the life cycle of these cells and stop their reproduction. The medicines which are used during the process are called anticancer drugs.
Though the process of chemotherapy medicines is associated with cancer, the treatment process can also be applied for non-cancerous conditions. The growth and death of cells in a human body are considered as a normal phenomenon, but it the cells starts growing abnormally and uncontrollably it’s a case of cancer. In order to control this abnormal uncontrolled growth of the cells, the help of anticancer medicines is taken. There are different ways that these medications are given, like oral medications in the form of pills or in liquid form. Cream or lotions are also used as a form of medication to be applied to the affected areas. Other forms like injections are also given to patients into the muscles or cavity or directly in cancer affected area.
Means and side effects of Chemo
Chemotherapy is undertaken to attack cancer affected cells by slowing their unnatural growth, but the medicine also affects the normal cells in the blood, mouth, nose, vagina, nails, and hairs as it enters the bloodstream and hence has side effects on the body also.
Common side effects that have been detected are stomach upset and nausea. Generally, the effects are conditional and depend on the patient’s lifestyle, the duration, and frequency of medicine intake, the dosage volume, and human endurance capacity. In many cases, patients have reported of hair loss, weight loss, pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and depression.
The best part of these side effects is that these can be managed. One should consider the benefits first over the side effects of the chemo medication. Fortunately, most of these side effects disappear immediately after the treatment is over like depression, hair loss and fatigue, however, some side effects may take a longer span of time to completely go away. It is always advisable to know the side effects in advance of the medicines beforehand to adapt to these changes in a conducive manner.
Chemo medicine
With medical developments and constant research on the subject, there are many drugs available for the treatment of cancer. One such effective drug known by the trade name of Zytiga is referred by doctors during chemotherapy. Abiraterone acetate is the generic name of Zytiga. Abiraterone acetate tablets are used for hormone therapy and are used in combination with prednisone. It is a form of chemotherapy medicine used for the treatment of men with prostate cancer and has already undergone pre-chemotherapy. It is an oral pill prescribed once a day, preferably the same time empty stomach to patients. It is consumed in combination with another drug prednisone and the quantity of the dosage depends upon various factors determined by the doctor.
