What Is Lung Cancer Chemotherapy?

While there is no definite cure yet for cancer, chemotherapy has been proven to be effective in arresting the growth of cancer cells in the body.  Among these kinds of cancer chemotherapy may be best administered is that of the lungs.

Lung cancer chemotherapy may be given to a patient at any stage of the cancer. Because of this cutting edge breakthrough in medicine, lung cancer patients have increased survival rates.

lung cancer chemotherapyComplicated as it may seem, it is primordial to know what involves lung cancer chemotherapy.

Does it yield positive results? Is lung cancer chemotherapy the most effective way to combat this disease? What are its side effects? What are its benefits?  Read on and get to know more.

Chemotherapy administration

Lung cancer chemotherapy may either be done on an outpatient basis or one that will require confinement at the hospital or a clinic. This depends on the kind of drug being given to the patient. In fact, it may even be performed at home.

The procedure may be done by directly injecting the medicine in the vein or by using a catheter. Lung cancer chemotherapy may be given alone or simultaneously with radiation or surgery. In some cases, this form of treatment is also administered to reduce the pain and other discomfort brought by the disease.

Benefits of lung cancer chemotherapy

When lung cancer chemotherapy is given to a patient, the treatment prevents the cancer from dividing or spreading in the body. As a result, these cancer cells may die or weaken. A patient’s chance of survival is increased.

If detected at its earliest stage, through lung cancer chemotherapy, a patient may be eventually declared cancer-free after a series of chemotherapy sessions. Psychologically, patients treated through chemotherapy have a more positive attitude towards overcoming the disease.

Side effects of lung cancer chemotherapy

Just like any form of treatments, lung cancer chemotherapy also has its share of side effects. These are however dependent upon the drugs used and the number of doses administered. Likewise, these side effects may differ from person to person. However, most common of these side effects is the loss of hair.

Lung cancer chemotherapy causes the cells in the body to divide rapidly especially cells in the hair. Thus, patients who underwent chemotherapy are usually bald. On the other hand, cells in the digestive tract are also affected. As a result, patients often experience loss of appetite, vomiting and fatigue.

Chemotherapy also affects the blood cells which are responsible in carrying oxygen to the body, prevents blood clots and fights off infection. Whenever this happens, a person is more prone to infection, bleeding and over fatigue.

However, these side effects will eventually disappear by the time a patient is on his way to recovery. Doctors prescribe medications to help relieve a patient from these side effects.

In the absence of a definite cure, lung cancer chemotherapy is proven to be the most convenient and effective.