Cancer Studies > Breast Cancer > Chemotherapy Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy: treatment with medication. But in the treatment of cancer means cytotoxic chemotherapy – drugs that kill cancer cells. The drugs work by disrupting the growth of cancer cells. As they circulate in the blood, they can reach cancer cells wherever they are in your body.

The drugs cannot tell the difference between cancerous and normal cells. Chemotherapy kills cells that actively grow and divide into new cells. Cancer cells do this much more frequently than normal cells, so they are more likely to be slain by the treatment. Cancer cells are not as good at repairing themselves as normal cells. Normal cells can usually repair the damage caused by chemotherapy.

The Drugs for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Many different chemotherapy drugs are often used for breast cancer. So we cannot say what your doctor will recommend. Normally you would a combination of about 3 chemotherapy drugs. But in some cases your specialist may suggest one in itself. Drugs

• Cyclophosphamide
• Epirubicin
• Fluorouracil (5FU)
• Methotrexate
• Mitomycin
• Mitozantrone
• Doxorubicin
• Docetaxel (Taxotere)
• Gemcitabine (Gemzar)

Some of the most common combinations for breast cancer

• CMF – cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil
• FEC – epirubicin, cyclophosphamide and fluorouracil
• FEC-T – epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil and taxotere
• E-CMF – epirubicin followed by CMF
• AC – doxorubicin (adriamycin) and cyclophosphamide
• MMM – methotrexate, and mitomycin mitozantrone
• MM – methotrexate and mitozantrone

In our main section chemotherapy, we have information about the specific effects of individual chemotherapeutic chemotherapeutic drugs and combinations. The links above will take you to the appropriate page for each drug or combination. Or you can go through the alphabetical list itself in the section on the specific side effects of chemo drugs.

Treatment before Surgery

Chemotherapy before surgery is for a smaller tumor. This may mean that you are less surgery. For example, you may be able to just have the cancer removed, rather than a mastectomy. But you must have an operation, and sometimes radiotherapy or other treatments after chemotherapy. Your specialist may suggest chemotherapy before surgery because they think it may also help stop your cancer coming back.

Treatment after Surgery

Chemotherapy after surgery is called adjuvant therapy. You can use this treatment because

• The lymph nodes under your arm included breast cancer cells
• You had a large primary breast cancer in the
• Your breast cancer cells were high grade (grade 3)
• Your cancer not test positive for hormone receptors and are therefore unlikely to respond well to hormonal therapy

Doctors use chemotherapy after surgery, when they think there is a risk that cancer cells away from the tumor in the breast and spread to another part of the body may have broken. Chemotherapy can kill these cells and so reduces the risk of cancer recurrence.

Side Effects and Why You Get Them

Side effects are the unwanted effects of any treatment. Chemotherapy drugs kill cells that share. Cancer cells share more than normal cells. But some normal body cells divide rapidly and are therefore affected by chemo. These include your skin, hair, nails, the lining of your digestive system and your blood cells. Unlike cancer cells, these normal body tissues are to repair. This is why you usually a couple of weeks break between the treatments – it is your normal body tissues about the effects of chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy affects different people in different ways. Your doctor may tell you what can happen, but cannot tell in advance which treatment will be for you. It is not something you can predict in advance. Some people are more affected by side effects than others. Many people lead a normal life during their treatment and can continue working. Others find them very tired and have to take things slowly.

Remember that not all chemotherapy drugs cause similar side effects and some people have very little.

General Chemotherapy Side Effects

Chemotherapy has a number of systemic side effects. The drugs kill cancer cells share, because they rapidly. Your blood cells also divide rapidly, so chemotherapy can lower the number of healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets you have. This may mean that you

• Are more likely to get infections
• May be more tired than usual
• Can be prone to nose bleeds and other bleeding problems

If you have a temperature above 38 ° C or think you have an infection, it is very important to the hospital immediately. You may need urgent treatment with antibiotics. Your chemotherapy doctor or nurse gets an emergency call if needed. There is more about the impact of chemotherapy on your blood cells in the main part of chemotherapy.

Tiredness (fatigue) is the most common side effect for people receiving chemotherapy. It may have only months after your treatment have ended. How quickly you return to normal depends on your overall health, the amount of treatment you have had and other treatments you have had.

Other side effects of chemotherapy may include

• Feeling sick (nausea) and being sick
• Hair loss or thinning
• Painful mouth
• Diarrhea
• Changes in your periods (menstrual cycle)
• Sore eyes – they may feel like they grit in them. Let your doctor know, as eye drops can help.

Side effects may seem hard to bear at the moment. But most disappear when your treatment ends.

Taking Other Medicines with Chemotherapy

Always let your doctor know about all other medicines you are taking, as some drugs may interact with chemotherapy. Even some ‘over the counter medicines, herbal medicines and complementary therapies can be harmful to take chemotherapy.

Long Term Side Effects

Sometimes chemotherapy causes long term side effects. You’ll probably tire some time after your treatment has ended. For a few people may take up to one years to get their energy back.

If you had not you had breast cancer before menopause, you should know that chemotherapy may affect your ability to influence pregnancy. If you still have periods, they can stop when you chemotherapy. It depends on how old you are. Or more precisely, how close to the age at which you would your natural menopause begins. Your periods may start again 6 months to one year after your treatment complete. Or they may never start and you have an early menopause. If you are still deadlines, they cannot as regular as they were.

Related posts:

1. Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
2. Breast Cancer Chemo
3. Breast Cancer Treatment Options
4. Treatment for Breast Cancer
5. Breast Cancer Radiation
6. Breast Cancer Treatment
7. Cancer Treatment Methods
8. Stage Four Breast Cancer
9. Breast Cancer Hormone Therapy
10. About Breast Cancer

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