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What Is Antineoplastic Chemotherapy?

H. Colledge
H. Colledge

A neoplasm is a tumor or growth, which may be cancerous in some cases, and something which is described as neoplastic is something which concerns a growth or cancer. Antineoplastic chemotherapy, commonly referred to as chemotherapy, or chemo for short, consists of drug treatments which act against cancer. The treatments often use antineoplastic drugs in combination. This type of chemotherapy may be used instead of, or as well as, other cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and surgery. Most often, drugs are given into a vein, but they could also be injected into muscles or under skin and occasionally taken as tablets.

Cancer arises when cells become abnormal and begin to multiply in an unregulated manner. Most of the drugs used in antineoplastic chemotherapy target cells at different phases of the cell cycle during which they divide and multiply. It may be used to cure cancer, to control it, to relieve symptoms or to shrink tumors before surgery or radiotherapy.

Side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy may include taste changes.
Side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy may include taste changes.

Although chemotherapy drugs affect normal cells, cancer cells divide more quickly than ordinary cells, so they are affected to a greater extent. The aim is for each dose of chemotherapy to kill off more cells than are able to regrow before the next treatment cycle. Antineoplastic chemotherapy is normally given in cycles which correspond to the type of cells involved, their division rate and the point during the cell cycle at which a particular drug acts.

Individuals all react differently to chemotherapy, so not everyone will experience vicious side effects.
Individuals all react differently to chemotherapy, so not everyone will experience vicious side effects.

Complications of antineoplastic chemotherapy arise because of the drugs' effects on normal cells. Side effects vary according to the drug involved, and they may occur during treatment, immediately after, or only when treatment has continued for some time. It is possible for adverse effects to continue for a while after antineoplastic chemotherapy has finished. Most minor side effects can be treated but serious complications may need immediate attention. Symptoms such as a high temperature, breathing difficulties, unusual bleeding, or severe diarrhea and vomiting may need treating urgently.

Antineoplastic chemotherapy involves infusing strong chemicals into the body intravenously to fight cancer cells.
Antineoplastic chemotherapy involves infusing strong chemicals into the body intravenously to fight cancer cells.

Tiredness, nausea, loss of appetite, anemia and hair loss are all common side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy. Taste changes, sore mouth, constipation and dry skin are other problems which can be associated with cancer treatment. Complications vary because different antineoplastic drugs are associated with different possible side effects. As individuals react differently to chemotherapy, not everyone will experience all of these symptoms and some people will not have any of them. In most cases, problems are temporary and go away when treatment ends.

Discussion Comments

ddljohn

@fBoyle-- The effectiveness of chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer and what stage it's at. It's not really possible to make a generalization about it. So sometimes it works and sometimes it's not enough.

SarahGen

@fBoyle-- My uncle is a cancer survivor and chemotherapy saved his life.

Of course, it has side effects, but without this treatment, many cancer patients would be dying much sooner. And often, chemotherapy isn't the only treatment given. My uncle had radiation therapy and surgery in addition to chemotherapy but it was chemotherapy that finally put his cancer into remission.

fBoyle

I know that chemotherapy is the best and most effective cancer treatment that's available right now. But I still think we can do much better, we need to find better treatments.

Chemotherapy has so many side effects. In addition to all the terrible physical affects it has on the person, I think it also affects people's psychology very negatively because they suddenly start feeling very ill.

Of course it's better for them too feel ill for a while if the treatment is going to save their life, but sometimes chemotherapy doesn't work. Some patients end up spending the last months and years of their life being very tired and sick. They lose their hair, they're always nauseated and lose weight. Their families have to watch them go through that.

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    • Side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy may include taste changes.
      By: Alliance
      Side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy may include taste changes.
    • Individuals all react differently to chemotherapy, so not everyone will experience vicious side effects.
      By: Photographee.eu
      Individuals all react differently to chemotherapy, so not everyone will experience vicious side effects.
    • Antineoplastic chemotherapy involves infusing strong chemicals into the body intravenously to fight cancer cells.
      By: Monkey Business
      Antineoplastic chemotherapy involves infusing strong chemicals into the body intravenously to fight cancer cells.
    • Aggressive chemotherapy can wipe out the immune system, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection.
      By: prudkov
      Aggressive chemotherapy can wipe out the immune system, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection.
    • The common side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue and nausea.
      By: JPC-PROD
      The common side effects of antineoplastic chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue and nausea.