Chemotherapy

You are at the doctor’s office and you have just been told that you have cancer.  Your next natural reaction is to ask what your prognosis is and how do you treat it?  Knowing your prognosis can reduce anxiety for some, while for others it increases their fear. You need to tell your doctor which you prefer: to know or not to know. It is your choice.  The next step is the treatment, which usually means chemotherapy.  Chemotherapy is used to cure, control, or relieve the symptoms of cancer.  Which job it will carry out depends on two things: the type of cancer and how advanced it is.

Cancer is uncontrolled rapid growth of cells.  Most chemotherapeutic drugs work by impairing mitosis, or cell division, therefore stopping the growth.  However, it cannot distinguish between rapid growing cancer cells and rapid growing healthy cells.  It will therefore harm our healthy cells causing side effects.  The most common side effects you may experience are nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, increased bruising and bleeding, anemia, and infection.  Depending on the person, the type of drug given will dictate whether or not you will suffer from any side effects.  Chemotherapy can be given at home, a doctor’s office, clinic, or at a hospital on an outpatient or inpatient basis.  Your treatment can range from every day, week, or month.  It is usually given in cycles, where you alternate between chemo and rest periods.

Now that you know the basics of chemotherapy, you will need to know some recommended steps to take to prepare yourself for it.  Since the biggest complaint is fatigue, you may want to schedule your treatment so that you will have the next day to rest.  This may be a good time to talk to your boss so you can have these two days off.  You may also arrange for transportation to and from the facility, because you may feel too tired to drive.  Since one of the side effects is hair loss, in preparation for this you may want to purchase a wig.  Experts also recommend that you go to the dentist before you start chemo, because you will be more prone to infection once you start.  Lastly, if you are a woman, it is recommended that you get your yearly PAP smear done before chemo as well. This will help prevent any false positives.

Although this is a scary time, try not to give up hope and be sure to keep fighting.  Surround yourself with your family and friends for support.  Keep a running list of questions you may have for your doctor.  Remember, there is no question that is too stupid.