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Chemotherapy
What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is the use of cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs to destroy cancer cells in the body by disrupting the internal balance of cancer cells and preventing them from growing and dividing. Cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs are specifically designed to damage mutated cancer cells that are unable to repair themselves and while healthy cells are affected, they are much better at repairing themselves once the chemotherapy treatment has finished. Patients may be treated with a single chemotherapy drug or a combination of chemotherapy drugs, known as a combination chemotherapy regimen.
What is the aim of chemotherapy?
Traditionally, the aim of treating a patient with chemotherapy is to try and cure the patient from their cancer completely - this is known as ‘curative’ approach. Chemotherapy is also used to reduce the risk of recurrence after the treatment or post surgery or to reduce the risk of preventing cancer cells from spreading. In certain cases, where the cancer cannot be cured, palliative chemotherapy is offered to relieve the patient from pain.
How is chemotherapy given?
Not all cancers are treated with the same chemotherapy drugs or in the same way. There are many different types of chemotherapy available and new drugs are being developed all the time depending on a patient’s treatment needs. We use two methods for administering chemotherapy drugs at our cancer centres. First, Intravenously which delivers chemotherapy drugs or combination chemotherapy regimen directly into the bloodstream via a small needle, inserted into the hand or arm and secondly, orally via tablets. Intravenous chemotherapy takes place in our state-of-the-art infusion suites, with space for up to ten treatment areas. Our areas are designed with comfort in mind with plenty of natural lighting and comfortable seating. Patients can choose to take treatment in the open ward, alongside other chemotherapy patients, or in a side room, where they can relax in private with a personal computer or tablet for entertainment.
How is chemotherapy given through port?
Through a port (sometimes called by brand names such as Port-a-cath or Mediport) inserted in your chest during a short outpatient surgery. A port is a small disc made of plastic or metal about the size of a quarter that sits just under the skin. A soft thin tube called a catheter connects the port to a large vein. Your chemotherapy medicines are given through a special needle that fits right into the port. You also can have blood drawn through the port. When all your cycles of chemotherapy are done, the port is removed during another short outpatient procedure.
How long chemotherapy takes?
Chemotherapy is not administered as a single treatment. Instead, the length of the chemotherapy treatment is split into the full course of the treatment and the individual cycles of treatment. Both the course and cycle of each chemotherapy treatment are dependent on a patient’s specific type of cancer, however, the course of chemotherapy can typically take place between 3-6 months, while the cycles tend to last 3-4 weeks at a time. The full course of chemotherapy will commonly be made up of between 4-8 cycles of chemotherapy with a break in-between to allow the body time to recover.
Individual chemotherapy treatments delivered intravenously may take several hours or in some cases, up to a full day, however, the chemotherapy nurses will be able to discuss in detail how long each treatment will take. They will also be able to provide information on the full course or cycle lengths of the treatment.
Traditionally, the aim of treating a patient with chemotherapy is to try and cure the patient from their cancer completely - this is known as ‘curative’ approach. Chemotherapy is also used to reduce the risk of recurrence after the treatment or post surgery or to reduce the risk of preventing cancer cells from spreading. In certain cases, where the cancer cannot be cured, palliative chemotherapy is offered to relieve the patient from pain.
How is chemotherapy given?
Not all cancers are treated with the same chemotherapy drugs or in the same way. There are many different types of chemotherapy available and new drugs are being developed all the time depending on a patient’s treatment needs. We use two methods for administering chemotherapy drugs at our cancer centres. First, Intravenously which delivers chemotherapy drugs or combination chemotherapy regimen directly into the bloodstream via a small needle, inserted into the hand or arm and secondly, orally via tablets. Intravenous chemotherapy takes place in our state-of-the-art infusion suites, with space for up to ten treatment areas. Our areas are designed with comfort in mind with plenty of natural lighting and comfortable seating. Patients can choose to take treatment in the open ward, alongside other chemotherapy patients, or in a side room, where they can relax in private with a personal computer or tablet for entertainment.
How is chemotherapy given through port?
Through a port (sometimes called by brand names such as Port-a-cath or Mediport) inserted in your chest during a short outpatient surgery. A port is a small disc made of plastic or metal about the size of a quarter that sits just under the skin. A soft thin tube called a catheter connects the port to a large vein. Your chemotherapy medicines are given through a special needle that fits right into the port. You also can have blood drawn through the port. When all your cycles of chemotherapy are done, the port is removed during another short outpatient procedure.
How long chemotherapy takes?
Chemotherapy is not administered as a single treatment. Instead, the length of the chemotherapy treatment is split into the full course of the treatment and the individual cycles of treatment. Both the course and cycle of each chemotherapy treatment are dependent on a patient’s specific type of cancer, however, the course of chemotherapy can typically take place between 3-6 months, while the cycles tend to last 3-4 weeks at a time. The full course of chemotherapy will commonly be made up of between 4-8 cycles of chemotherapy with a break in-between to allow the body time to recover.
Individual chemotherapy treatments delivered intravenously may take several hours or in some cases, up to a full day, however, the chemotherapy nurses will be able to discuss in detail how long each treatment will take. They will also be able to provide information on the full course or cycle lengths of the treatment.
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