Chemotherapy is an abbreviation of chemical and drug therapy. It is a therapy which applies chemical and drug to prevent cancer cells from proliferating, infiltrating and transferring until cancer cells are eventually killed. It usually applies to common cancer such as lung cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, and etc…
Chemotherapy includes whole body chemotherapy and local chemotherapy. Whole body chemotherapy includes systemic chemotherapy and oral chemotherapy. Besides conventional methods of chemotherapy, systemic chemotherapy includes IPT (low doses of chemotherapy mediated by insulin). It applies to patients who have drug resistance after many sessions of chemotherapy and also suited for the patients who are not able to or willing to undertake conventional chemotherapy.
Local chemotherapy includes: intracavitary chemotherapy (pleural infusion chemotherapy, pericardial perfusion chemotherapy, intraperitoneal chemotherapy, intravesical chemotherapy), intraspinal chemotherapy, arterial infusion chemotherapy (intubation chemotherapy through hepatic artery, femoral artery intubation chemotherapy, external carotid artery intubation chemotherapy).
According to NCCN guideline, followings are common projects of cancer chemotherapy:
Non-small cell lung cancer: NP, TP, GP, DP, EP; Small cell lung cancer: EP, CP, EC.
Colorectal cancer: mFOLFOX6, mFOLFOX6+Bevacizumab, CapeOx, CapeOx+ bevacizumab, IROX, FOLFIRI, FOLFIRI+ bevacizumab etc.
Breast cancer: TAC, AC sequential P, AC sequential T, AC, TC, FAC, CMF, EC, CAF, AP, AT, XT, GP, etc.
Ovarian cancer: paclitaxel + carboplatin, paclitaxel + gemcitabine, cisplatin + cyclophosphamide, cisplatin + cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin, etoposide + carboplatin, etc.
Side effects of chemotherapy include: common gastrointestinal reaction of chemotherapy (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea), bone marrow suppression (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia), cardiac toxicity, damaged liver and kidney function, peripheral neurotoxicity and etc... Many patients discontinue cancer treatment because they cannot tolerate these side effects and give up on chemotherapy. Oncology Department of Clifford Hospital combines chemotherapy with hyperthermia, detoxification, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture to reduce side effects of chemotherapy to increase drug efficacy of chemotherapy. Over 95% patients can undergo chemotherapy successfully.
