What Are the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment: Nr.2?
June 5, 2024 at 3:59 pm
The following table describes the 6 cancer treatments, their course and possible side-effects. Usually one or more of these methods are encountered, sometimes in combination. Depending on the type of method, the patient either has to stay in hospital or only come for 1 day.
| Treatment Method | What Is It? | How Does It Work? | Side Effects |
| Surgery/Surgical Intervention | Tumour removal. | The surgeon removes the tumour, this happens when the patient is under anaesthetic. | Post-operation pain, fatigue, other side effects depend on the size of the tumour and the part of the body that has been operated on. |
| Medical Irradiation | Strong radioactive radiation is used to kill cancer cells and reduce the size of the tumour. | The source of the radiation may be medical equipment placed near the patient or radioactive substances injected into the body as close to the tumour as possible. | Fatigue, red and sensitive skin and other side effects depend on the amount of radiation and the part of the body where the radiation was applied. |
| Chemotherapy | The administration of drugs to kill cancer cells. | Medicines can be given as tablets or in liquid form, or given intravenously, usually as a course. | Nausea, diarrhoea, hair loss, extreme tiredness, dry mouth. |
| Stem Cell Transplantation/Also May Be Bone Marrow Transplantation or Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation | Stem cells found either in the bone marrow or in the blood are used. They replace cells that have been destroyed by radiation or chemotherapy. | A stem cell transplantation uses cells that have been obtained either from the patient or from a donor. Most often, the donor is a family member. | The side effects are most often the same as for radiation or chemotherapy. In some cases, the side effects are more serious and should be discussed with your doctor. |
| Hormone Therapy | Therapy that adds, blocks or removes hormones. Hormone therapy is used to stop or slow down some types of tumours. | Hormone therapy is also given in the form of tablets, injections or sometimes patches. Sometimes surgery is needed to cut out hormone-producing glands. | Hot flushes, tiredness, weight fluctuations, mood changes. |
| Immunotherapy | Immunotherapy uses the body's own defences to fight cancer. | The patient may be given tablets or injections. | Flu-like symptoms: chills, fever, muscle aches, weakness, diarrhoea, nausea. |
In addition to the treatment, tests will definitely be carried out to check the efficacy of the medicine.
The "Tree of Life" booklet was quoted in the article. For more information: https://dzivibaskoks.lv/lv/ and https://www.spekaavots.lv/ .