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Chemotherapy (Regional Perfusion)
What is
Chemotherapy (Regional Perfusion)?
Chemotherapy is the use of chemical substances
to treat disease. In its modern-day use, it
refers primarily to cytotoxic drugs used to
treat cancer.
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Effects
of Chemotherapy (Regional Perfusion)
Depending on the type of cancer and how advanced
it is, chemotherapy can be used for different
goals:
·
To cure the cancer. Cancer is
considered cured when the patient remains free
of evidence of cancer cells.
·
To control the cancer. This
is done by keeping the cancer from spreading;
slowing the cancer's growth; and killing cancer
cells that may have spread to other parts of the
body from the original tumor.
·
To relieve symptoms that the
cancer may cause. Relieving symptoms such as
pain can help patients live more comfortably.
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Candidates for Chemotherapy (Regional Perfusion)
Ideal
candidates for chemotherapy are patients who
have been diagnosed with cancer.
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Your Consultation
Some
chemotherapy drugs are used for many different
types of cancer, while others might be used for
just one or two types of cancer. Your doctor
recommends a treatment plan based on:
·
What kind of cancer you have.
·
What part of the body the
cancer is found.
·
The effect of cancer on your
normal body functions.
·
Your general health.
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The
Chemotherapy (Regional Perfusion) Procedure
A
doctor called an oncologist will make the
decision about which type of chemo is best for
the patient. A person might take a pill or
liquid or get an injection (shot). Another way
of giving chemo is through an IV line, which is
short for an intravenous line.
An IV line is a tiny tube that's put into a vein
through someone's skin, usually on the arm. The
IV line is attached to a bag or pump that holds
the medicine. The chemo medicine flows from the
bag or pump into the vein, which puts the
medicine into the blood. Once the medicine is in
the blood, it can travel through the body and
attack cancer cells.
Sometimes doctors will insert a permanent IV
line into a larger vein in the upper chest. This
type of IV line is also called a catheter. It
allows a person to get chemo and other medicines
easily without having to get a needle in the arm
each time. Although it's called permanent, this
type of catheter only stays in place until the
person is finished with his or her cancer
treatments. In addition to letting a person get
chemo without having a new IV line inserted each
time, a catheter lets doctors and nurses take
blood samples and give other treatments without
sticking the person with a needle.
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Recovery
Chemotherapy is carefully planned and is usually
given as a series of sessions of treatment. Each
session is followed by a rest period. The
session of chemotherapy and the rest period is
known as a cycle of treatment. A series of
cycles makes up a course of treatment.
Each
session of chemotherapy destroys more of the
cancer cells, but the rest period allows the
normal cells and tissues to recover.
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Risks
Side
effects from chemotherapy can include pain,
diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, hair loss,
nausea and vomiting, as well as blood-related
side effects. In this section, you can learn
more about the importance in diagnosing and
monitoring blood-related side effects. These may
include low white blood cell count (neutropenia),
low red blood cell count (anemia), low platelet
count (thrombocytopenia), and related fatigue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
How does chemotherapy work?
A:
Chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells;
unfortunately, it cannot tell the difference
between a cancer cell and some healthy cells. So
chemotherapy eliminates not only the
fast-growing cancer cells but also other
fast-growing cells in your body, including, hair
and blood cells.
Q:
What is chemotherapy like?
A:
The kinds of treatment used to fight cancer
depend on the type of cancer and in how many
parts of the body the cancer is found. Chemo is
given on a schedule. Some people receive chemo
every day. Others receive it every week or every
month. Doctors use the word cycles to describe
chemo because the treatment periods happen
between periods of rest when a person isn't
getting any treatment. These breaks allows the
person's body to heal from the effects the chemo
has on the cancer and on the body's normal
cells.
Q:
Why are breaks from chemotherapy necessary?
A:
Breaks from treatment are important because,
during chemo, a person might experience some
temporary health problems. These temporary
problems are called side effects. All
medications can have side effects. In their
effort to kill cancer cells, chemo drugs can
make normal cells sick. Breaks during chemo
cycles allow time for normal cells to get
better.
The following list of Urology procedures are
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