Salvage chemotherapy is a type of treatment that is given through radiation to the patients whose tumor has resurfaced even after it was operated upon. Medically this term is referred as salvage chemotherapy. This treatment is given so that the stem cells are able to reproduce themselves. For undergoing this treatment then the person has to be hospitalized for four days and then again for a month during the transplantation. Cancer is a traumatic disease and many a people who have this traumatic disease suffer from great mental anguish. In such a scenario, the salvage treatment is helpful. There are a few side effects of radiation therapy but managing them is not difficult.

Salvage Chemotherapy Drugs and Treatment

Salvage chemotherapy is a combination of Cisplatin and Cytarabine drugs. It is given in large doses. Along with this therapy a dose of Dexamethasone is also given. Though the drugs are given to cure the patient from the tumor it makes them very sick. The tumor starts disappearing after the second round of chemotherapy. It is very difficult for a patient to eat and digest after he is given such a therapy.

After each session of salvage chemotherapy, the patients have to make regular rounds of toilet. They are also given a dose of Cisplatin for the protection of the kidneys. After each round of chemotherapy, patients are injected with Neupogen, which helps in the reproduction of the white blood cells. Chemotherapy is mainly administered to control the spread of cancer cells. Drugs are given in a combination mode to control the disease

Protons are a best form of radiation therapy. There is difference between radiation therapy and proton treatment for cancer. The salvage chemotherapy helps killing the cancer cells. They kill all the fast reproducing cells. As a result, they also end up killing up those healthy cells, which reproduces very fast such as the hair follicles and the reproductive system. Losing of hair cells is the main cause of worry among the patients. However, the therapy is not as dangerous as it seems. The hair cells grow back very fast as soon as the therapy has ended.

The doctors perform salvage chemotherapy very rarely. This therapy is done along with a dose of radiation or surgery. There are various advantages of this therapy. If the help of radiation is taken then the treatment is not that much effective. This is so because radiation kills the cells only in the targeted area whereas chemotherapy treats all the cancer cells of the body. The life span of the patient also increases as the growth of cancer has been controlled.

The salvage chemotherapy is administered only after judging the physical condition of the patient. The therapy is given either through injection or as a drip. The drugs are injected right into the veins. It is thus able to travel to the entire part of the body. Sometimes oral chemotherapy pills are also given. Minor side effects can be seen after the therapy. Some patients also suffer from nerve damages, heart, and kidney problems after undergoing the therapy.