About Different Types of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a group of drugs used in treatment of cancer. Cancer is a deadly disease where unhealthy cells grow uncontrollably and can spread throughout the body. These drugs are designed to kill cells, and are meant to target cancerous cells. The goal of chemotherapy is to prevent the growth and development of tumors.

History of

• Chemotherapy was first used in the 1940's to treat cancer when it was discovered that mustard gas, which was used for chemical warfare, had also suppressed lymphoma and leukemia. This discovery was made during autopsies of people who had died from mustard gas. The agent was then injected into a cancer patient who had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient's tumors reduced in size, though for just a few weeks, but this was the first step in using chemicals to treat cancer.

The Facts

• Aklylating agents attack cancer cells by attaching to the DNA of the cancer cell. This successfully halts tumor growth. There several different types of aklylating agents including also plant alkaloids and terpenoids as well as Vinca alkaloids that are made from a plant called Catharanthus or Madagascar Periwinkle.

  Anti tumor antibiotics such as Actinomycin-D also called Dactinomycin inhibits cell multiplication and also stops cancer from growing. This form of chemotherapy is highly toxic and is also an older for m of chemotherapy.

  Anti-metabolites disguise themselves as the building blocks of DNA. This stops cell division and cancer growth. This type of chemotherapy is believed to harm cancer cells more than healthy cells.

  There are several different types of chemotherapy with new forms in development and being discovered.

  Hormonal therapy is technically not chemotherapy. It is the science of altering the hormonal balance to halt the growth of certain forms of cancer that are affected by hormones. Hormonal therapy can be used to treat certain cancers of the mammary and prostate glands.

  Monoclonal antibodies attack the tumors antigens and therefore enhance the immune response to the tumor cells. There are also types of monoclonal antibodies that attack the formation of tumor blood vessels.

  Podophyllotixin is a substance from the American Mayapple plant and the Himalayan Mayapple, which is a very rare and endangered plant. This substance is known to prevent cancer cells from growing and makes them dormant.

  Taxanes, originally known as Taxol is a natural product from the Pacific Yew Tree. Now commonly known as Paclitaxel, it is a mitotic inhibitor that interferes with cell division. Docetaxel is a semi synthetic form of this chemotherapy drug and it is widely used.

  Topoisomerase inhibitors prevent enzymes called Topoisomerases from doing their job with is the winding and unwinding of DNA. Without this important stage of cell development the cancer cannot multiply.

Function

• Most forms of chemotherapy are delivered intravenously with a few delivered orally. Dosage, the amount of chemotherapy that is delivered is key to curing a patient of cancer, because it is important to administer enough to destroy the cancer, but not so much as to deliver a toxic amount to the patient.

Risk Factors

• Unfortunately, chemotherapy often comes with somewhat debilitating side effects. In fact, in the effort to fight cancer, many chemotherapy patients are brought to the brink of death from the treatment alone. This is because healthy cells are also killed in an effort to rid the body of the cancerous cells. Common side effects are anemia, constipation, depressed immune system, diarrhea, hair loss, hearing loss, hemorrhage, kidney damage, liver damage, malnutrition, memory loss, pain, secondary neoplasms (tumors), weakened heart, weight gain, and weight loss.

Significance

• If you or a loved one is stricken with cancer, it is important to not only listen to the advice of the doctors but to also get second opinions and investigate the type of cancer you have. Not only are there numerous forms of cancer that can be used to treat you but there are also alternative treatments and treatments that can be used alongside the chemotherapy to help you to live a longer and healthier life. The key is to get educated quickly and work with a doctor who is willing to try the latest and safest treatments.