History of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is used to treat various cancers. In chemotherapy treatment, drugs are administered using various methods to eradicate cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs through bloodstream travels all over the body. Chemotherapy can be applied before the surgery as well as after the surgery.

Chemotherapy is applied before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor. It is also known as adjuvant chemotherapy. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy is applied after the chemotherapy to kill the canner cells which is remained after the surgery.

Emergence of the chemotherapy dates back to 1940. First nitrogen mustards and folic acids were applied to remove cancer cells. Chemotherapy treatment has been evolving since then. However, limitations and principles used in the treatment have remained the same.

In 1958, drug named mehotrexate is successfully used to cure solid cell tumor called choriocarcenoma. This success was achieved by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

In 1965, the combination chemotherapy was started as it is more effective than single drug chemotherapy.

According to James Holland and Emil Freireich, chemotherapy for cancer must follow the strategy of combination of chemotherapy drugs. The combination of chemotherapy drugs vary as per the cancer.

Chemotherapy treatment helps to cure cancer however it also affects normal body cells. It causes some side effects. So it becomes necessary to use some supportive therapies to deal with side effects.

Some chemotherapy treatment method are anti-metabolits, alkylating agents, antitumor antibiotics, monoclonal antibodies, anthracyclinesi, plant alkaloids.

BEP Chemotherapy

BEP chemotherapy is used treat testicular cancer or some type of ovarian cancer. In BEP chemotherapy following chemotherapy drugs are used to destroy cancer cell:

• Bleomycin
• Etoposide
• Cisplatin

Patient can take BEP chemotherapy as a day patient or during a short stay in hospital. Before the chemotherapy treatment, patient needs to give blood test. Doctor also check patient before the treatment. If the reports of the tests are normal, chemotherapy treatment schedule is prepared. It takes around two hours. Patient is given the drugs on the same day or after one or two days.

BEP chemotherapy drugs are administered in various ways. Your doctor prepare chemotherapy regimen for your treatment which include total chemotherapy plan, or schedule that you are going to have. Some anti sickness drugs (tablets or injections) are given to deal with side effects efficiently.

BEP chemotherapy destroys the cancer cells. However, it also affects normal body cells. It causes side effects. Each patient’s reaction to BEP chemotherapy is different. Some will have fewer side effects, while others patients may experience more side effects.

BEP chemotherapy associates with side effects including infection, bleeding, sickness, anemia, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, tiredness, mouth sores and ulcers and diarrhea. Consult with your health care team if you are suffering from any of the side effect during your chemotherapy treatment.

ABVD Chemotherapy

ABVD chemotherapy treatment is used for the treating Hodgkin's lymphoma. ABVD chemotherapy is used mostly to treat newly diagnosed patients. Drugs used in ABVD chemotherapy are effective in all stages of Hodgkin’s cancer.

In ABVD chemotherapy, chemotherapy drugs used are:

• Adriamycin (doxorubicin)
• Blenoxane
• Velban
• DTIC (dacarbazine)

ABVD chemotherapy is applied in cycles. Drugs are administered using different methods. Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and DTIC are administered as infusion in veins. Blenoxane and velban are injected intravenously.

No. of cycles in the treatment depends on the stage of the cancer and presence (or absence) of some prognostic factors. In its early stage, lymphoma require 2 to 4 treatment cycles while in advanced stage, normally 8 cycles are required.

Before ABVD chemotherapy starts, some tests are carried out. These tests include blood count test, blood test for liver and kidney functions, echocardiogram (ECG) for to test heart function and chest x-ray. Blood count test is taken prior to each treatment cycle. Other tests are taken as per the requirement.

ABVD chemotherapy has some side effects like chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, hair loss, low blood cell count, high fever, diarrhea, mouth sore and skin infection. Low blood cell count may delay the treatment. If you are suffering from any of the side effects, consult with your physician and take medications prescribed by him.

Taxotere Chemotherapy

Taxotere (docetaxel) is a chemotherapy drug used in the chemotherapy treatment. In taxotere chemotherapy, drugs are administered intravenously into the vein. Taxotere chemotherapy takes about one hour to competed. Generally taxotere chemotherapy is given every three weeks. However, physician will determine the schedule of the treatment and amount of the drug given according to patients’ requirements. It also depends on the type and stage of the cancer as well as health of the patient.

Once it is decided that taxotere chemotherapy is correct for you, doctor will prescribe another drug named dexamethasone. It is given to you before the start of the treatment. It helps to reduce the side effects associated with taxotere chemotherapy. The amount of taxotere and the frequency of the dexamethasone is decided by the doctor.

In order to minimize the side effects, one should take dexamethasone as per the doctors’ prescription it. In case you forgot to take dexamethasone or do not take it as per the schedule, do inform your doctor or nurse before the start of the next taxotere chemotherapy treatment round. You can refer patient information leaflet for convenient chart for dexamethasone schedule.

In taxotere chemotherapy, drugs attack the rapidly growing cancer cells. However, they also harm the normal body cells which grow rapidly like hair follicles, blood cells, intestines, stomach, esophagus and cells in the mouth. It causes side effects. Some side effects associated with taxotere chemotherapy are serious and life threatening.

Consult your doctor when you are suffering from any side effects. Side effects associated with taxotere chemotherapy are fluid retention, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, allergic reaction, low blood cell count, infection, rash, nail and eye changes and throat infection.

Prostate Cancer Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy treatment is used to treat recurrent or advanced prostate cancer. However, it is not used in the treatment of early stage prostate cancer. In prostate cancer chemotherapy, one or more drugs are used to eradicate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer chemotherapy is applied in cycles. Each treatment cycle is followed b the recovery period. This recovery period will help the patients in recovering from the side effects of the treatment. Duration of the treatment ranges from three months to six months. It depends on chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment.

Chemotherapy drugs for prostate cancer are administered using different methods like intramuscular, intravenous, oral or topical. Chemotherapy drugs enter in the bloodstream and travel all over the body. They kill the cancel cells from the all parts of the body.

Most of the time, chemotherapy is applied for treating prostate cancer once the hormone treatment is not effective. Chemotherapy is also applied cancer has spread outside the prostate. Chemotherapy is intended to shrink and eradicate cancer. If not, it relieves symptoms.

Chemotherapy drugs intended to kill rapidly growing cancer cells. However, it also destroys normal body cells (which normally divide fast). It includes hair follicles, the mouth lining membranes, bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract. However, damaged cells in the treatment are replaced by the healthy cells. As a result, side effects are temporary and disappear in short time.

Chemotherapy Certification

Chemotherapy certification course is introduced to educate pharmacy technicians in the field of sterile product preparation using aseptic technique and cytotoxic drugs. This course is designed as per the standards of USP.

While entering in the health-system pharmacy settings, it is required to have IV certification and/or related experience. Chemotherapy certification course meet training requirements of State Board of Pharmacy for IV Certified Pharmacy Technicians.

The ChemoChek Training and Certification course guide the trainee to adapt special training required for handling chemotherapy drugs. Certified pharmacy technician students master these special techniques during the course. Chemotherapy certification course is intended for those who already have experience in basic aseptic technique.

To employ the most conservative criteria, certain arbitrary limits have been applied during the course. For instance, if there are more than three dime-sized spots under ultraviolet scanning then it is considered that student has not completed the task properly and need to repeat the procedure. However, a student with reasonable skill may complete all of course modules with less than five spots visible when scanned under ultraviolet.

Chemotherapy certification course is required for those who are entitled to chemotherapy drugs administration. Such people can go for the chemotherapy certification to obtain required knowledge and learn procedures to chemotherapy agents.

ICE Chemotherapy

ICE chemotherapy is used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Drugs used in ICE chemotherapy are ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide. For ICE chemotherapy, patients need to hospitalize for short time. Blood test is taken before the start of the ICE chemotherapy. If the results of the blood test are normal, patient can proceed with the treatment and can take chemotherapy drugs.

In ICE chemotherapy, drugs are administered intravenously using a thin plastic tube. This plastic tube is inserted into a vein (near the collarbone or arm) and drugs are given through it. Patient is given some anti sickness drugs before the start of the treatment.

In ICE chemotherapy, drug used is rituximab. Rituximab is given into your cannula in the rising order. Some patients have an allergic reaction. In such case the treatment is started with lower dose. Other chemotherapy drug used in ICE treatment is Ifosfamide. It may affect bladder lining and cause bleeding. To prevent this, mesna is mixed with ifosfamide.

ICE chemotherapy is given in cycles. Generally, it has three cycles. Each cycle lasts for 21 days. For two days of first schedule, a drip of rituximab is given. On day three and four of first cycle, short infusion of etoposide is given. Combination of ifosfamide and mesna may also be given. With another infusion, cycle finishes on day five. Injections of drug called G-CSF are taken to stimulate the bone marrow to generate more white blood cells.

In second schedule of ICE chemotherapy, ifosfamide, etoposide and carboplatin are administered. While in the last cycle of the treatment, infusion of etoposide is given. Each cycle has rest period to recover from the side effects of the treatment