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Alternative Medicines for Lung Cancer Chemotherapy

Lung cancer is a very serious form of cancer. In the United States, it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. It begins in the lungs and can spread quickly throughout the body. Patients may experience several side-effects when treating lung cancer, but there is medication that may help to alleviate most symptoms.

  1. Side-Effects

    • Patients may experience nausea and vomiting as a side-effect of chemotherapy. This side-effect may occur before or after treatment. When it occurs before treatment, it is called anticipatory nausea and vomiting (ANV). Treating lung cancer through chemotherapy may require the patient to take several drugs at one time, which may cause the body to react in this way.

    Medication

    • Two areas in the brain are responsible for nausea and vomiting. Anti-vomiting drugs (antiemetics) can be taken to block the areas of the brain that are responsible for nausea and vomiting. Drugs such as lorazepam and dexamethasone block the brain's vomiting center. These drugs are also anti-depressants, anti-anxiety and sleeping aids. These forms of medication should be taken 30 minutes before treatment.

      If the patient cannot keep a pill down because vomiting has already started, they may be given prochlorperazine or trimethobenzamide. These are anti-nausea suppositories that work in same way as the above medications to reduce symptoms. Prochlorperazine is also a long-lasting drug that will relieve symptoms for 6 to 12 hours.

      Granisetron, ondansetron and dolasetron mesylate are the newest form of chemotherapy side-effect-relieving drugs. These drugs suppress vomiting and nausea in 60 to 80 percent of chemotherapy patients. In cases where there are severe side-effects, these drugs may be combined with other anti-nausea drugs for the most effective results.

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