Cancer,Cancer Care,Radiation Oncology,Medical Oncology,Surgical Oncology,Physicians,medical terms,Cancer treatment,Prostate Cancer,Lung Cancer,Breast Cancer,Colorectal Cancer,Bladder Cancer,Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma,Ovarian Cancer,Skin Cancer,Brain Mets,Bone Mets

Non-Small Cell - Chemotherapy:

Chemotherapy is often offered when lymph nodes are positive for metastases or the cut end of the lung had cancer cells at it or near it, which would put you at risk for local re-growth. It is also given to prevent cancer from developing at distant sites and to treat cancer deposits that are already known to have spread. These treatments are often given in conjunction with radiation treatments. Many clinical trials are ongoing to determine the best combination of drugs to give and when to give them. It should be remembered that patients treated in these trials usually do better than those who do not participate and who have the same severity or "stage" of cancer.

The chemotherapy is given in cycles with one or several drugs given during the cycle. The cycles can be repeated on a regular basis and usually number between four and eight. They are given every three to five weeks if your blood counts remain strong enough to allow treatment. In an effort to help keep the blood counts at acceptable levels, growth factors, which help the bone marrow work better, may be given. Many of the chemotherapy agents require good kidney and/or liver function in order to process the drugs to make them effective and/or to allow them to be eliminated from the body.

The side effects from the chemotherapy are specific for the drugs that you get, but usually their side effects include:

	Fatigue
	Increased chance of catching colds or the flu and having longer and more severe symptoms
	An affect on your heart's ability to push the blood out of it
	Blisters in the lips, mouth and GI tract
	Diarrhea
	Nausea
	Vomiting
	Hair loss

Since the side effects of chemotherapy are directly related to the drugs that you receive, please refer to the Chemotherapy Drug section for the side effects that each of these drugs may have to determine what the drugs that you are receiving may do to you.

One of the greatest fears of all doctors when giving drugs for treatment is the development of a second tumor as the result of the delivery of the original treatments given. This is known as a second malignant neoplasm or a second cancer. Thus it is very important that you have routine follow-ups during the remaining part of your life to ensure that any complications that occur are found at an early time when they can be treated.

Be sure to ask questions and understand all the side effects that may happen and how they will be treated if they occur. Don't feel bad about asking for a second opinion. This is one of the biggest decisions that you will make so make sure you feel right about it.