What is Chemotherapy Treatment?
Chemotherapy is one of the treatment options that could be used to treat different types of cancers.  Chemotherapy treatment for cancer involves the use of anti cancer medicines (cytotoxic drugs) to destruct or remove the  cancer cells. Chemotherapy treatments may  also be undertaken  for non-cancerous patients, where the dosage remains minimum, which also ensures minimal side effects. More than 200 various kinds of cancer is prevalent in people across the world and there are more than 50 chemotherapy medicines that are  used in various  ways.

The type  of chemotherapy treatment to be used depends on certain facts, but predominantly the following are observed – the kind of cancer the patient is suffering from , the origin of cancer in the body,  the appearance of cancer-cells  through a microscope, and if it has spread to other parts of the  body.

Chemotherapy is also used with other  treatments like biological therapies, hormonal therapy, radiotherapy and surgery.Application of chemotherapy may be in various ways, based on the cancer type. The chemotherapy drugs are used accordingly. Mostly chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously i.e. through a vein, using an injection or a drip. This method of chemotherapy administration is called “intravenous chemotherapy”. Drugs given in the form of capsules or tablets is called “oral chemotherapy”. A drug injected into the muscle is known as “intramuscular injection”. When it is injected just below the skin, it is called “subcutaneous injection”. The drugs infused into the body through   the above-mentioned means reach the cancer cells in the body through the blood.

To treat certain kind of cancers, chemotherapy drugs may be required to reach the fluid present in the region of spine, this method is called  “intrathecal chemotherapy”. When certain body cavities like bladder or pelvic cavity are injected with chemotherapy drugs, it is called “intracavity chemotherapy”. In many of the above-mentioned methods, the chemotherapy drugs are most likely to stay in the injected area, resulting in no harm to  the other parts  of the  body. Chemotherapy creams are also used for certain skin-cancers, wherein only the cells in the region get affected.

At times two kinds of chemotherapy administration methods may  also be used, such as  intravenous chemotherapy and oral chemotherapy.

Intravenous chemotherapy:There are generally four techniques by which the chemotherapy drugs directly reach the vein. Given below are chemotherapy infusion methods. Cannula – this process involves a little tube, which is inserted into a vein in the  arm or into a vein at the back of the hand. Central line –a thin flexible  tube is put into the vein under the skin on the chest, next to the heart. PICC line – here thin flexible  tube is put through a vein at the upper region of the arm or at the bend, and threaded throughout till the tube’s concluding part is positioned in one of the vein close to the heart. Implantable port –  it is also known as portacath. Here a thin, soft synthetic tube is inserted in the vein.

Oral chemotherapy: As a process of the treatment, instructions may be given to have chemotherapy pills or capsules at  home. This can be for your entire body or a part of it. As per the doctor’s directions, the drugs may need to be consumed before  or after  food. In case of any difficulty or discomfort experienced during or after  undergoing chemotherapy treatment, the health care practitioner should  be contacted for proper advice. The prescribed drugs given by the doctor is generally for the full course of the treatment, and consumption of the same accurately as per the prescription is imperative. While taking the drug for the first time, if any information is not clear,  immediate clarification from the pharmacist, doctor or the nurse should be sought.