What is chemotherapy?
Disease description:
Recently diagnosed with cancer and told that I need chemotherapy. I've only heard about chemotherapy before but don't know the specifics. I would like to ask what exactly chemotherapy is, how it is specifically administered, and what side effects may occur?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Qi Zhirong
Chemotherapy, short for chemical therapy, is a treatment method that uses chemical drugs to inhibit or kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapeutic drugs can be administered orally, by injection, or through intravenous infusion. Once in the bloodstream, the drugs can reach various parts of the body, preventing the growth, division, and spread of cancer cells. The mechanisms of chemotherapy mainly include interfering with DNA synthesis, damaging DNA structure, and blocking protein synthesis, thereby inhibiting or killing cancer cells. By disrupting the growth and reproduction of tumor cells, chemotherapy can inhibit or eliminate tumors.
Chemotherapy is applicable to various types of tumors, such as hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. It is especially effective for advanced-stage tumors that have metastasized and is considered a primary treatment method. However, while chemotherapy kills cancer cells, it may also damage normal cells, potentially causing a range of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and decreased immunity.
When chemotherapy is appropriately administered under the guidance of professional physicians, it can maximally control the progression of the disease and improve patients' quality of life.
