| Chemotherapy is the administration of drugs (antineoplastic or cytotoxic agents) that destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapeutic drugs destroy tumor cells by several mechanisms, which include interfering with cell division, damaging the cell's DNA (the molecular structure that dictates cell growth and function), changing the cell's ability to absorb or release fluid (osmotic stress), or interfering with the ability of the tumor to develop its own blood supply.
Chemotherapy drugs may be administered intravenously or orally over a period of several weeks to several months. Three or 4 weeks between treatments are usually required for the body to recover from the effects of a single treatment. Multiple antineoplastic drugs may be used. When combined, they work more effectively together than as single agents (synergism) to destroy cancer cells. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells. It may be used alone or in combination with surgery and/or radiation. Chemotherapy is the only treatment for some types of malignancies such as leukemias and lymphomas. Chemotherapy also plays an important role when tumors have spread to multiple, distant sites in the body (metastatic cancer). Chemotherapy may also be used for palliative treatment of a tumor, which serves to relieve or alleviate pain without curing the cancer. Even when recovery is unlikely, an individual's comfort level can be significantly improved if the tumor or cancer is treated and the size reduced. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| There are numerous different chemotherapeutic agents, which may be administered by a slow intravenous injection or orally. Chemotherapy is frequently done on an outpatient basis, with the individual having a series of treatments over a period of several weeks to months.
Although the process may vary, a typical approach would be for the individual to relax in a recliner while receiving intravenous chemotherapy. Rather than requiring placement of a new intravenous catheter for each chemotherapy session, many individuals have a catheter that stays in place for a prolonged period of time (up to several months if necessary). This catheter is inserted through a tiny incision on the chest into the large vein entering the heart. The catheter then lies just beneath the skin. A small device beneath the skin at the end of the catheter is used for insertion of the tubing that delivers the chemotherapy agent. Depending upon the type of agent that is used, the individual may receive supportive medications or other treatments to decrease some of the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea. Each chemotherapy session usually takes several hours, depending upon preparation time and time required for monitoring after the procedure. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| The outcome varies from complete recovery to palliative treatment. The effect of the chemotherapy depends upon the stage of the underlying cancer, whether the cancer is localized or systemic, the cytotoxic agents chosen, as well as the individual's general health and other medical conditions. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| Chemotherapy can have many adverse effects, most of which resolve after treatment ends. Common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea and vomiting, anorexia, hair loss (alopecia), or pain. Other complications include pain or inflammation at the injection site. The most serious, life-threatening complications of some types of chemotherapy are secondary leukemia and cardiac impairment, both of which are rare. Risk factors for cardiac toxicity include older age, pre-existing cardiac disease, a higher cumulative dose of the cytotoxic agent, and irradiation of the heart. Women undergoing chemotherapy may experience menopause. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| Restrictions and accommodations will be determined based on the type of chemotherapy, its side effects, and the underlying disease. Periodic absences for treatment and recovery from treatment may be required. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor
| Savarese, Diane. "Principles of Cancer Therapy." Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. Eds. J. Noble and H. L. Greene. 3rd ed. St. Louis: Mosby-Year Book, Inc., 2001. 1066-1071. MD Consult. Elsevier, Inc. 19 May 2005 <http://home.mdconsult.com/das/book/47344603-2/view/959?sid=368586745>. |
Source: Medical Disability Advisor