How does chemotherapy work and why does it cause side effects? We answer these questions and more in this episode as we continue our series about cancer with a discussion about chemotherapy.
In this Episode:
- 03:31 – Travel: Rhode Island and Clam Cakes
- 04:35 – Anna Quindlen – We Need to “Get a Life”
- 08:45 – Chemotherapy Overview: How it works, Cycles, Port
- 12:19 – Types of Chemotherapy Drugs
- 15:35 – Apoptosis and Chemo Success
- 17:04 – Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- 18:02 – Discussion – “How Long Has Chemo Been in Use?”
- 21:41 – Jeena R. Papaadi, “The Person in the Bed”
- 24:51 – Outro
What is Chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs to try to stop the growth of cancer or kill the cancer cells directly. Unlike surgery or radiation therapy, which often cannot treat widespread metastases, chemotherapy destroy cancer cells by preventing them from multiplying. Chemotherapy drugs can move throughout the body in the bloodstream and attack tumor cells where they are growing. Medications can have different forms, such as infusions, oral medications, and creams.
How Does Chemotherapy Work?
Chemotherapy takes advantage of the fact that cancer cells divide rapidly. This makes them more vulnerable to medicines that target this cell division. Chemotherapy drug classes target different facets of the division process, so drugs are often combined in a treatment plan.
What are the Classes of Chemotherapy Drugs?
We discuss five classifications, grouped by structure and function:
- Alkylating agents: Damage the cancer cell’s DNA to stop it from making copies of itself and reproducing.
- Antimetabolites: Interfere with DNA and RNA production to stop cancer cells from reproducing
- Anti-tumor antibiotics: Bind with the cancer cell’s DNA so that it cannot make copies of itself and reproduce.
- Topo-i-somerase inhibitors: Enzymes called “topoisomerases” help separate DNA strands for replication. Topo-i-somerase inhibitors bind with topoisomerases, thereby stopping cancer cells from reproducing.
- Mitotic inhibitors: Prevent enzymes from making the proteins necessary for cell reproduction
Why Does Chemotherapy Cause Side Effects?
Since chemotherapy targets rapidly-dividing cells, it also affects other places in our body that naturally have rapid growth. Hair follicles, mouth, stomach and intestine lining, and bone marrow all can be affected. This causes the side effects we commonly associate with chemotherapy such as hair loss, mouth sores, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and weakened immune system. Your health care practitioner will order medications to lessen the intensity of the side effects or limit how long they last. Your care team will also give you some advice to ease symptoms.
Related Content:
- S6E4: Understanding Cancer Treatment Options: Immunotherapy
- S6E3: Understanding Cancer Treatment Options: Radiation Therapy
- S6E2: Understanding Cancer Treatment Options: Surgery
- S5E52: Cancer Gone Wild – Learn All About Metastasis
- S5E45: Why Does Cancer Exist? Empower Yourself With Understanding
- S5E46: “Why Do I Have Cancer?” Kismet, Chastisement or Coincidence?
- S5E47: MythBusters – Cancer Edition; Clarifying Common Cancer Myths & Misconceptions
- S5E48: How to Read a CT Scan Report – Learn the Sections Relevant to Your Diagnosis
- S5E49: Are there Miracle Cures for Cancer? With Dr. Jeanna Ford
- S5E50: What is Meant by Cancer Staging? Learn the Language of a Cancer Diagnosis
References:
- Writing to make sense of death | EAPC Blog
- Cancer – Treatment, Chemotherapy, Radiation | Britannica
- How chemotherapy works | Cancer Research UK
- Chemotherapy Side Effects | Cleveland Clinic
Resources:
- Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer | NCI
- Chemotherapy | American Cancer Society
- What About Side Effects? – Stanford Med Education
- Anna Quindlen. 2000. A Short Guide to a Happy Life”, Available here: https://a.co/d/83et18B
- About Your Implanted Port | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- To find clinical research studies that involve immunotherapy visit Find NCI-Supported Clinical Trials – NCI or call the Cancer Information Service, NCI’s contact center, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
Recipe of the Week
This week we venture to Rhode Island, where we found a great recipe for clam cakes. Head over to CD Kitchen for the recipe.
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