Chemotherapy is the most common form of cancer treatment. The patient receives medications (cytostatic drugs) that kill cancer cells. Whether side effects occur—and how severe they are—depends on the medications used and the dosage. Chemotherapy can be administered alone or in combination with other treatments.
Mechanism of Action of Cytostatic Drugs
To prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading, doctors use certain active ingredients known as cytostatic drugs.
Cytostatic drugs target only cells that divide frequently. Because of their growth-inhibiting effect, specialists use cytostatic drugs to treat cancer cells. Healthy cells divide only rarely or not at all and are therefore not affected by cytostatic drugs.
Cells in the mucous membranes and hair follicles also divide frequently. This is why chemotherapy often leads to hair loss.
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Known side effects include:
- Hair loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Increased susceptibility to bleeding and infection due to impaired blood formation in the bone marrow
Nausea and vomiting can be well managed with medication today. Long-term damage to the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or nervous system has been observed but is rare.
Whether side effects occur—and to what extent—depends primarily on the medications used and their dosage. A patient’s personal attitude toward chemotherapy can also influence the severity of the side effects.
Patients usually receive cytostatic drugs as an infusion @ Seventyfour /AdobeStock
When is chemotherapy used?
The dosage and method of administration follow established and proven protocols. Depending on the timing and goal, a distinction is made between:
- Curative: Some diseases, such as leukemias and lymphomas, can be cured with cytostatic drugs.
- Adjuvant = supportive: Chemotherapy serves as an additional treatment alongside surgery and/or radiation therapy. The goal is to target any remaining cancer cells in the body that are not yet detectable.
- Palliative = relieving: In cases of advanced cancer, a cure is no longer expected despite chemotherapy.
The goals of palliative chemotherapy are:
- A reduction in tumor tissue (and metastases)
- Relief of symptoms and
- To improve and maintain quality of life
Discuss the pros and cons of chemotherapy with your doctor. Before starting treatment, ask your doctor to explain the possible side effects to you.
