Why chemo

Intrapleural chemotherapy is used to control malignant pleural effusions. A malignant pleural effusion is an accumulation of cancerous fluid in the pleural space. The fluid may cause the lung to collapse, making breathing more difficult. Draining the fluid will help, but the fluid will usually come back unless intrapleural chemotherapy is given. This procedure is also known as sclerosis or pleurodesis.

This formulation of the carmustine wafer allows the drug to be delivered directly to the site of the brain tumor. After a surgeon operates to remove the cancerous tissue in the brain, he or she implants up to eight dime-sized wafers in the space where the tumor once was.

Over the following 2 to 3 weeks, the wafers slowly dissolve, bathing the surrounding cells with the chemo medication. The goal of this method of treatment is to kill tumor cells left behind after surgery. Some chemotherapy creams are applied directly to the skin in certain cases of skin cancer.

The cream is then absorbed through the skin directly into the cancerous lesion. The use of topical preparations is very limited in cancer treatments. For information about the 4th Angel Mentoring Program visit www. Toggle navigation. Spanish About Chemocare. How Is Chemotherapy Given? For this reason, doctors must calculate chemo doses very carefully. Depending on the drug s to be given, there are different ways to determine chemo doses.

Most chemo drugs are measured in milligrams mg. Some chemo doses are determined based on body surface area BSA , which are calculated using height and weight. BSA is expressed in meters squared m 2. Children may have different levels of sensitivity to the drugs, too.

Besides doses being different for children, dosages of some drugs may also be adjusted for people who:. Chemotherapy is commonly given at regular intervals called cycles. A cycle may be a dose of one or more drugs on one or more days, followed by several days or weeks without treatment. This gives normal cells time to recover from drug side effects. Sometimes, doses may be given a certain number of days in a row, or every other day for several days, followed by a period of rest.

Some drugs work best when given continuously over a set number of days. Each drug is given on a schedule that makes the most of its anti-cancer actions and minimizes side effects. If more than one drug is used, the treatment plan will say how often and exactly when each drug should be given. The number of cycles given may be decided before treatment starts, based on the type and stage of cancer.

In most cases, the most effective doses and schedules of drugs to treat specific cancers have been found by testing them in clinical trials. This gives a person the best chance of getting the maximum benefit from treatment. Sometimes, you might be given supportive medicines to help your body recover more quickly.

Contact your care team if you have any problems with your medicine, such as forgetting to take a tablet or being sick shortly after taking one. Women should avoid becoming pregnant while having chemotherapy, as many chemotherapy medicines can cause birth defects. Use a barrier method of contraception, such as a condom , and contact your care team immediately if you think you may have become pregnant. Men having chemotherapy should use condoms throughout their course of treatment, even if their partner is using contraception.

Cancer Research UK has more about sex and chemotherapy. While you're having chemotherapy, check with your care team before you take any other medicine — including over-the-counter medicines and herbal remedies. Other medicines could react unpredictably with your chemotherapy medicine, which may affect how well it works and could cause dangerous side effects. Chemotherapy can cause a range of unpleasant side effects.

Some people decide that the benefits of chemotherapy are not worth the poor quality of life due to the side effects. If you're struggling with the treatment and are having doubts about whether to continue, it's a good idea to speak to your care team.

Your care team can give you advice about the likely benefits of continuing with treatment, but the final decision to continue or stop is yours. Page last reviewed: 29 January Next review due: 29 January Chemotherapy can be carried out in many different ways, depending on your circumstances. Before treatment starts Deciding to have treatment If you're diagnosed with cancer, you'll be cared for by a team of specialists.