Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment which uses drugs to kill cancerous cell. Chemotherapy drug enters in the body through bloodstream and eradicates cancer. Chemotherapy treatment stops or slows down growth of cancer.

However, time comes when your doctor acknowledge that your chemotherapy no longer need not to be applied to treat cancer. Stopping chemotherapy treatment is very difficult decision to make. This decision of stopping chemotherapy depends on various factors.

Chemotherapy depends on various factors including type of cancer, stage of cancer, patient’s prognosis and overall health condition. Chemotherapy is effective in treating cancer; however treatment is also associated with some side effects such as nausea, vomiting, fatigue, sickness, hair loss, memory loss, extreme tiredness and many others.

Age of patient is also considered while making decision to stop chemotherapy. Older people with other health problem can not tolerate side effects as like younger people. Older people choose treatments which focus on keeping them comfortable rather than keeping them alive as long as possible.

Patient’s prognosis is also an important aspect in choosing your medical treatment at the end of life. Your prognosis will help you and your doctor evaluate the appropriateness of chemotherapy. However, estimating prognosis is sometimes difficult for doctors. It is also recommended to consult another doctor and seek second medical opinion when prognosis is not clear.

This is a very hard conversation to have, when the doctor acknowledges that cancer treatment is no longer achieving results. Patient needs to weigh the negative aspects of treatment, such as uncomfortable and painful side effects, against his need to keep seeking a cure. Chemotherapy treatment options offer the chance of curing a disease with little impact on the quality of your life. However, other treatments may prolong your life but may be associated with side effects that drastically lower the quality of your life.

Palliative care at the end of life is applied control the symptoms associated with cancer, chemotherapy and the dying process. When you decide to focus completely on palliative care, efforts are taken on comfort rather than cure by your doctor. Your medical team concentrates on relieving your symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath, fever, and loss of appetite. You should describe your symptoms clearly to your doctor so that he will help you to feel comfortable. Sometime palliative care treatment may be combined with life-prolonging treatment.

Decision of stopping chemotherapy can be taken when cure for your cancer is not likely and you and your doctor want to avail treatment that relieves your symptoms without curing your cancer. You may also wish to stop chemotherapy, even though it may prolong your life, because of side effects that drastically lower the quality of your life. Also you want your treatment to focus on relief of your suffering and to address your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.