Chemotherapy

Cancer Treatment Options

https://www.texasoncology.com/services-and-treatments/treatments/chemotherapy

Chemotherapy

Depending on the type of cancer you have, your medical oncologist may recommend chemotherapy as part of your treatment plan.

Chemotherapy is a group of medicines used to treat cancer. While surgery and radiation therapy target specific areas of the body, chemotherapy works systemically (throughout the body). Chemotherapy can also destroy cancer cells that have metastasized to parts of the body away from the original tumor site.

There are many variables to chemotherapy:

More than 100 different drugs are used in chemotherapy.
You may receive a single drug or a combination of drugs. Depending on your combination of drugs, your chemotherapy treatment session may last a few minutes to a few hours.
You may receive chemotherapy as an injection, a pill, or an IV infusion.

Chemotherapy is administered by nursing professionals under the direction of your medical oncologist. Our pharmacists and nurses are highly trained in the preparation and management of chemotherapy–related drugs.

Your oncology team will closely monitor your progress and manage your care. Our community-based cancer treatment centers are designed to make your treatment sessions as comfortable as possible.

Mediport Placement

A mediport is a small medical appliance that is surgically installed beneath the skin. A plastic tube (catheter) connects the port to a vein to deliver medicine, blood products, nutrients, or fluids into the bloodstream. The catheter can also remove blood for testing. Chemotherapy is typically given using a mediport.

During a mediport placement, a doctor surgically inserts the device under the skin in the upper chest. The port appears as a bump or raised area under the skin, and is roughly the diameter of a quarter. It is completely internal. The surgeon also surgically inserts the catheter from the port into a nearby vein. The position enables medicine or other fluids to be spread throughout the body quickly and efficiently.

The mediport placement procedure may be necessary for cancer treatment and is minimally invasive under local anesthesia.

Chemoterapy Frequesntly Asked Questions

Many of our most frequently asked questions and answers can provide you with more detailed information about chemotherapy.

Q: How do I address concerns about my diagnosis and chemotherapy?

Learning that you have cancer can be very emotionally upsetting – not only to you, but also to your family and friends. It is important to seek emotional support. Always talk with your Texas Oncology care team about your feelings and concerns, and ask for resources that may support your emotional well-being. In addition, your local American Cancer Society chapter offers free programs for those diagnosed with cancer. Other local support groups may provide the opportunity for you and your loved ones to talk with others who understand what you are experiencing. Talk openly about your needs. Supporting each other will help all of you keep a positive outlook.

Q: How do I know my chemotherapy is working?

Each person responds differently to treatment. Your doctor will monitor you closely and schedule appropriate tests to evaluate the effectiveness of your treatment. Your doctor may keep your treatment the same or adjust your treatment depending on the results of your tests.

Q: How does chemotherapy work?

Chemotherapy is designed to destroy cancer cells. Some cancer cells grow slowly, others rapidly. As a result, different types of chemotherapy drugs are designed to target the growth patterns of specific types of cancer cells. Each drug has a different way of working and is effective at a specific time in the life cycle of the cell targets.

Your doctor will develop a treatment plan specifically for you, based on your type of cancer, its stage of advancement, and your overall health. Depending on your individual condition, your chemotherapy may be designed to achieve one or more of three goals:

Eliminate the cancer
Control the cancer
Symptom relief

Q: How is chemotherapy administered?

Your doctor will choose the chemotherapy method that will be most effective against your particular type of cancer and cause the fewest side effects. You may receive chemotherapy drugs in one or more of the following ways:

Pill (also referred to as “oral” or PO [per os] medication)
Shot (injection)
IV (also known as “intravenous” – delivering liquid medicine through a tube into a vein)

Some types of chemotherapy can be given at home. Through instruction, you and your family members can learn how to administer chemotherapy in pill form or by injection with a small syringe and needle similar to those people with diabetes use to administer insulin. In some cases, a nurse will administer chemotherapy in our clinic. In other situations, it may be necessary to go to the hospital to receive treatment.

Q: How often will I take chemotherapy?

How often you take chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer and which drug or combination of drugs you receive. Different drugs work at varying times in the process of cancer cell growth. Your treatment schedule will take all of these factors into consideration. Chemotherapy is usually structured in cycles with rest periods between. Generally, treatments are given daily, weekly, every other week, every third week, or monthly. Your doctor will help you determine the most effective treatment schedule for you.

Q: What are the chemotherapy side effects?

We mentioned earlier that chemotherapy works by destroying cancer cells. Unfortunately, chemotherapy cannot tell the difference between a cancer cell and a healthy cell. Therefore, chemotherapy can cause side effects.

Among the most common are nausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, and low blood counts. Some side effects may be temporary and merely annoying. Others, however, can be life threatening. For example, one of the most serious potential side effects of chemotherapy is low white blood cell count – a condition called neutropenia (new-tro-pee-neeuh) – which can put you at risk for severe infection or treatment interruptions. In most cases, you can successfully manage side effects by working with your healthcare team and by staying in close communication throughout your treatment cycles.

Remember, when you experience side effects, it is important to contact Texas Oncology first before going to an emergency room or urgent care clinic.

Q: What questions should I ask about my chemotherapy treatment?

Gather all the information you can to make informed decisions about your cancer treatment and about how to protect yourself against possible side effects. Your Texas Oncology care team is always your best source of information. Talk with them about your chemotherapy, possible risks, and your best protection. Take notes to help you remember questions you want to ask. Questions to ask might include:

What are my treatment options? Which do you consider the best for my condition?
What are the names and doses of all the drugs I will be taking?
Is the goal of my chemotherapy to get rid of my cancer or to control it for as long as possible?
What personal goal should I have: Eliminating my cancer? Controlling my cancer? Being comfortable?
How long will I receive chemotherapy? How often? Where?
How will my chemotherapy be administered?
How will I know if my chemotherapy is working?
How might a disruption in my chemotherapy dose or schedule affect my results?
Can I talk with other patients who have received the treatment you recommend?

Also, be sure to discuss the possible side effects of your chemotherapy by addressing questions such as the following:

What possible side effects should I prepare for?
When might side effects start?
Will side effects get better or worse as my treatment goes along?
How can I lessen the impact of side effects?
Are any treatments available to help relieve the side effects?
Which side effects are most serious?
How can I best monitor myself for side effects or complications related to my disease or chemotherapy?

Q: Which chemotherapy drugs will I receive?

Not everyone receives the same type of chemotherapy. There are many drugs designed specifically to treat cancer. Your doctor will decide which drug(s), dose, and schedule are best for you. This decision is based on the following important factors:

Type of cancer
Location of cancer
Stage of development of cancer
How normal body functions are affected
General health
How chemotherapy affects your other medical conditions

Chemotherapy Side Effects

Some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy are nausea and vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, infections, and increased bruising and bleeding. The form and intensity of side effects depend on the drugs used for your cancer treatment, your age, and your general health.

We encourage you to talk with your medical team about possible side effects and their recommendations for managing them, both before and during treatment.

Nausea

Some chemotherapy drugs can cause a queasy, upset stomach. Severe nausea may cause vomiting, and your doctor can prescribe medications to help. You might also:

Drink lemon or ginger tea.
Avoid spicy or foods with strong aromas.
Eat smaller, more frequent meals.

For detailed advice on dealing with nausea and vomiting, visit:

Mouth Sores

Tell your medical team immediately if you develop mouth sores during chemotherapy treatments. Though a common side effect, treatment will be more effective at the first signs of sores. For safe, easy treatment of mouth sores:

Avoid citrus fruits and juices as well as spicy foods.
Replace spicy, rough, or crunchy foods with foods that are soft and easy to swallow.
A baking soda mouthwash can be used as often as desired.
Your doctor may prescribe other medications if necessary.

Hair Loss

Your chemotherapy may cause partial or complete hair loss. Your hair will usually grow back after treatment, within approximately three to six months. Please ask your physician or nurse about programs to help you look and feel your best. To help cope with hair loss:

Use mild shampoos.
Use soft hairbrushes.
Use low heat if you must use a dryer.
Don't use brush rollers to set your hair.
Don't dye your hair or get a permanent.
A shorter hair style makes your hair look thicker and fuller, and is easier to manage.
Use a sunscreen, sun block, hat, scarf, or wig to protect your scalp from the sun.
Use a satin pillowcase.
Consider wearing a wig or a hairpiece, or perhaps a scarf, cap, or turban.

Skin Irritations

You may develop rashes; itchy, dry, or flaky skin; or notice changes in the color of your skin or nails. These are all temporary side effects that should disappear after treatment.

If you develop acne, keep your face clean and dry.
For itching skin, apply cornstarch.
Take quick, warm showers rather than long, hot baths to help avoid dryness.
Apply creams and lotions while your skin is still moist.
Avoid perfumes, colognes, or after-shave lotions. They often contain alcohol, which can make your skin dry.

Kidney or Bladder Problems

Some chemotherapy drugs irritate your bladder or cause permanent kidney damage. You may notice a strong or medicine-like odor or a change in the color of your urine (orange, red, or yellow). Be sure to let your medical team know if you develop any of these symptoms:

Pain or burning when you urinate
Frequent urination
A feeling that you must urinate right away
Reddish or bloody urine
Fever
Chills

To avoid or treat kidney or bladder problems, drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid adding excessive sugar to drinks and limit caffeine.

Sexuality or Fertility Problems

Some chemotherapy drugs can affect sexual organs and performance. Visit our Intimacy and Cancer page for more information.

Paxman Scalp Cooling System

Many patients who undergo chemotherapy experience hair loss. This can be an upsetting side effect of the treatment.

As part of Texas Oncology’s commitment to supporting patients through every aspect of the cancer journey, the practice is piloting a program in select locations to allow patients the option of using a “cooling cap” during treatment, provided by the Paxman Scalp Cooling System.

How It Works

The Paxman Scalp Cooling System is a simple treatment that can help prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The cooling cap reduces the temperature of the scalp a few degrees immediately before, during, and after the administration of chemotherapy, reducing the blood flow to the hair follicles to prevent chemotherapy from damaging them.

Patients undergo scalp cooling each time they have a chemotherapy infusion. The average cooling time is two and a half hours, including 30 minutes of pre-infusion cooling, cooling during infusion, and 90 minutes of post-infusion cooling.

Side Effects

Visit ColdCap.com for detailed information on potential side effects.

Eligibility

Patients receiving chemotherapy for solid tumor cancers are eligible to use the cooling system.

Availability

The program is available at 21 Texas Oncology sites. For interested patients who are not seen at one of the 21 participating sites, please speak with your physician to discuss options. Patients may be eligible to receive chemotherapy at a participating location.

Registration and Cost

Please speak with your provider about enrolling on to the program or for more information visit www.Coldcap.com. Pricing will depend on how many treatments you will have.

More Information

More detailed information about the scalp cooling system is available:

Source: https://www.texasoncology.com/services-and-treatments/treatments/chemotherapy