Cancer Treatment: Why Chemotherapy Does Not Suit All Patients

Among the various chronic diseases occurring in the population, cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. But what exactly is cancer? This is a disease in which cells grow uncontrollably and invade the healthy cells of the body. Every cell of the body has a definite life cycle, and they multiply and die accordingly, but cancerous cells outgrow this cycle and keep on multiplying, thereby forming tumours and affecting different parts of the body.

This abnormal division of the cells and their development can occur in any region of the body, due to which various types of cancer are found, like throat cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and so many more. Cancer is chronic and can prove fatal in the majority of cases, as the treatment is complex and can be difficult to handle.

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Cancer Treatment Options

Cancer treatments involve a range of options, which can be overwhelming. Many types of cancer are diagnosed at early stages and are at times mild, due to which they are treatable with fewer problems for the patients. However, if the cancer has metastasised and is diagnosed at advanced stages, then the treatment is also advanced and imposes certain problems on the patients.

The common treatment options for cancer are surgery and different types of therapy like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell transplants, medications, etc. These treatments help to stop the progression of cancer, and depending on the situation, one or a combination of these treatments might be given.

What Is Chemotherapy Treatment?

One of the commonly used methods to kill cancer cells and prevent their progression is chemotherapy. As the name indicates, chemotherapy treatment involves the use of chemicals and drugs that target cancer cells and kill them. It prevents the cells from multiplying and dispersing into other regions of the body.

The chemotherapy drugs or chemicals used in the treatment are very powerful and attack the cells during a specific period of their cell cycle. Inhibition in the cell growth stages does not let the cell grow, thus preventing cancerous cell growth.

The treatment is systemic, which means the chemotherapy drugs travel through the bloodstream and reach various parts of the body.

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Process Of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy can be given alone or in combination with other cancer treatments, depending on the severity and type of cancer. It could be done as a primary treatment, before other treatments, or after other treatments. This means it is given to kill all the cancer cells, shrink tumours, or destroy cells if any remain after treatment. Sometimes, when the cancer is severe and non-curable, chemotherapy is also given to relieve the symptoms and prevent the cancer from metastasizing.

Chemotherapy Side Effects

The delivery of heavy and powerful drugs via the bloodstream is not only delivered to the cancerous cells but also to the healthy cells. Due to this, the healthy cells are equally impacted, and therefore, people might experience many mild to severe symptoms. These drugs can remain in the bloodstream and also in healthy cells, due to which there are long-lasting side effects. Some of the side effects of chemotherapy are:

• Hair loss: This is one of the most common chemotherapy side effects, where not only the hair strands but also facial and pubic hair may also fall out.

• Fever, constipation, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, mouth sores, and more are some mild symptoms that arise within 2–3 weeks of getting chemotherapy treatment.

• Some chemotherapy side effects that develop late and are long-lasting are infertility, damage to the kidneys, lungs, heart, and nerves, etc.

Why Does Chemotherapy Not Suit Everyone?

It is essential to conduct proper blood tests on the patient to check for healthy vitals before starting the chemotherapy. This is because the site of drug breakdown in humans is the liver. So, blood tests are done to ensure that the liver and kidneys are healthy and that drug breakdown is done effectively. People with a weak liver will face complications as medications will not be broken down, thus impacting the liver and other organs more.

Patients with weaker immune or biological systems will also not be able to deal with the chemotherapy process, as the drugs are strong and will destroy body tissue and organs. The side effects will grow more severe in people with weaker immunity, and hence, chemotherapy will not suit such patients.

Apart from the unpleasant physiological symptoms, cancer patients might also experience mental stress due to chemotherapy. The consistent pain, symptoms, and weakness that arise due to medical processes can worsen the case of chemotherapy, and hence it can affect them badly.

However, proper care and measures after the chemotherapy treatment can help to subside or reverse the side effects caused by it.

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