Pros And Cons Of Chemotherapy For Lung Cancer

What Is Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer by using specific chemical agents or drugs, which are selective in destructing the malignant cells and tissues.

On What Basis The Chemotherapy Is Selected?

The chemotherapy for lung cancer is selected on the basis of health of the patient, the stage of the cancer, the symptoms, when the patient came to the physician to seek treatment.

Patient Consent Before Chemotherapy

It is the physician’s responsibility to get the consent from the patient before administering chemotherapy and the patient must be aware of all the risks and benefits before signing the consent form. The individual must ask all the questions that come up to the mind from the physician, so as not to have any doubts regarding the chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy Causing Toxicity

Chemotherapy causes toxicity. The toxicity depends as to how long the chemotherapeutic drugs are being administered. It has been registered in the various hospitals and over the media resources such as Internet, programs based on the medicine related data, as well as medical journals that there is toxicity related to the chemotherapy. The patients can look into various information resources to know as to what side effects they will confront while going through the chemotherapeutic regimens and what combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs would be best for them. They must also ask their physicians as to what are the different options available to them.

What Are The Different Chemotherapeutic Drugs Used For Lung Cancer?

There are various chemotherapies that are being used to treat lung cancer, which are Platinol (brand name), generic is cisplatin. VP-16; VePesid (brand name), generic is etoposide. Paraplatin (brand name), generic carboplatin. Taxol (brand name), generic paclitaxel. Taxotere (brand name), generic docetaxel. Navelbine (brand name), generic vinorelbine tartrate. Adriamycin (brand name), generic doxorubicin. Oncovin (brand name), vincristine sulfate. Ifex (brand name), generic ifosfamide. Gemzar (brand name), generic gemcitabine hydrochloride.

How Does The Chemotherapeutic Drugs Are Brought In Market?

The chemotherapeutic drugs for lung cancer just go through rigorous trials and many studies are performed on them and then the results of the drugs are seen and then on the basis of the results of the study the drugs are then brought into market after being approved by the (FDA) Food and Drug Administration. Thus there is a very comprehensive research and study that is conducted on them and the drug is being assessed for all of the side effects that are being monitored in the patients, as well as the benefits and are being documented.

Preventing The Pain Symptoms From Occurring

The patient when experiencing pain, must report to the doctor as to when they are experiencing the pain. They must tell the thoracic specialist as to when they are suffering from pain so that appropriate measures are being taken and it can be seen whether there is lymph node involvement in the mediastinal region and thus pain killers should be administered.

Symptomatic Treatment During Chemotherapy

Since it is known that chemotherapy has its risks and benefits and is administered depending on the health of the patient, and when the patient is suffering from the symptoms, the physicians administer symptomatic treatment as a supportive treatment so that chemotherapy must be administered on a continuous basis and the patient is able to tolerate that well.

Health Status Monitoring During Chemotherapy

It is important to mention that while the patient is receiving chemotherapy, he or she must be monitored thoroughly by performing blood tests and enzyme levels to determine the status of different organs. If there are any abnormalities in the blood cells, supportive therapy must be given, but if the symptoms still are not coming under control, then the chemotherapy must be stopped and supportive treatment given until the patient’s blood chemistries are back to normal so that he or she can start the chemotherapy again. The physicians also assess the neurological status of the patients throughout.

Summary

The anti-cancerous drugs are targeted against the cancer cells. The chemotherapeutic regimen depends on the clinical picture of the patient. So the patients must work in very close association with the physicians as to what therapies will work the best for them and to determine the best strategies to treat lung cancer.

LUNG CANCER

• Introduction
• Types of Lung Cancer
• Symptoms of Lung Cancer
• Who's at risk of Lung Cancer?
• Lung Cancer Diagnosis
• Staging Lung Cancer
• Small Cell Lung Cancer
• Alternative Lung Cancer Treatment
• Chemotherapy
• Early Detection Symptoms
• Recognition Of Early Symptoms
• Early Symptoms and Diagnosis
• Endstage Lung Cancer
• Lung Cancer Prognosis
• Stage 4 Lung Cancer
• Non Small Lung Cancer
• Treatment for Lung Cancer
• Lung Cancer Medications
• Side Effects of Lung Cancer Treatments
• Lung Cancer Care
• Questions to ask the doctor
• Adenocarcinoma Lung Cancer
• Lung Cancer Research
• Mesothelioma Asbestos Lung Cancer
• Metastatic Lung Cancer
• Oat Cell Lung Cancer
• Lung Cancer - A Deadly Result Due To Smoking
• Smoking and Lung Cancer
• Squamous Cell Lung Cancer