Oral Chemotherapy

Oral chemotherapy refers to the drugs administered orally as part of an extended or comprehensive drug treatment. There are multiple ways of applying the principles of chemotherapy for the treatment of various health conditions. Nowadays, due to progress in cancer treatments and research, patients benefit from many different types of chemotherapy that can be taken in as tablet, liquid or capsule. Nevertheless oral chemotherapy refers to any drug administered by mouth. The effects of pills remains identical to that of intravenous medication for instance, with the mention that the incidence of digestive adverse reactions will be a lot higher.

Some chemotherapy drugs can never be taken orally as they cannot be absorbed in the stomach or they can cause harm if swollen. As a matter of fact, most of the chemotherapy drugs are introduced into the patients veins by means of injecting it through an intravenous line. In the case of oral chemotherapy, the treatment is more facile as the patient can do it at home, without being forced to go to hospital every time it is applied.

A good way to organize oral chemotherapy is in cycles of administration. Thus, the possibility to damage healthy cells is reduced and drugs are allowed to destroy more cancerous cells. Obviously, it is for the doctor to establish the periodicity of the treatment whether daily, weekly or monthly. Anyway, the anti-cancer treatment scheme proposed by the specialist ought to be discussed with the patient so that she/he may know what lies ahead in terms of challenges, difficulties and success rate. Only when one informed and convinced of the efficiency of the treatment, can one decide to begin it.

Even if oral chemotherapy drugs are not as strong as the others and although they do not affect the patients stomach, there are side effects of the treatment here too. The list of oral chemotherapy adverse reactions is very long and it generally includes fatigue, nausea, vomiting, anemia, flu-like symptoms, diarrhea and constipation, increased susceptibility to infections, kidney malfunctions, hair loss and various other sores and pains. For any of these side effects it is advisable that patients address their doctors for advice and help.

Filed Under: Chemotherapy