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Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy. Overview of the session: Chemotherapy Unit at the L&D What is Chemotherapy? Side effects Treatment pathways. What do we do?. Anti-cancer therapy’s including Chemotherapy Monoclonal antibody treatments Supportive Therapies eg pamidronate Providing advice

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Chemotherapy

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  1. Chemotherapy • Overview of the session: • Chemotherapy Unit at the L&D • What is Chemotherapy? • Side effects • Treatment pathways

  2. What do we do? • Anti-cancer therapy’s including • Chemotherapy • Monoclonal antibody treatments • Supportive Therapies eg pamidronate • Providing advice • Assessment unwell patients

  3. What is chemotherapy? • Cyto = cell • Toxic = causes death by poisoning • Chemo = chemical • Therapy = treatment • Treatment with drugs that kills cancer cells

  4. Destroys all cancer cells Achieves control of cancer cells Manages symptoms Cure Remission Palliative What can chemotherapy do?

  5. How can it work • Understanding of the cell cylce helps to understand how chemotherapy can work. • All cells grow,divide and die • Cell cycle is a process for normal and abnormal cells to reproduce

  6. The Cell Cycle • Five phases • Go phase- resting phase • Can last days weeks or years • Receives signal to reproduce • Moves onto G1 phase • G1 phase moves to reproduce – manufactures proteins (18-30hrs)

  7. Cell Cycle • S Phase is where the cells DNA is copied (18-20hrs) • G2 Phase – protein synthesis occurs(2-10hrs) • M Phase- cell divides into two new cells(30-60 mins)

  8. Cell Cycle • Normal cells – regulated manner • Cells are dividing,creating,dying • Abnormal cells – uncontrollably • Causes mass of cells= tumour

  9. CELL CYCLE • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6ucKWIIFmg

  10. How does chemotherapy work • Chemotherapeutic drugs disrupt the cell cycle • Drugs are phase specific or phase non specfic • Most drugs act on reproducing cells

  11. The balance of treatment Give enough drug to destroy a growing the cancer cell but not too much to permanently harm the patient

  12. Types of Treatment • Neo-Adjuvant- pre surgery • Adjuvant- post surgery • Pallative- manage symptoms/stablise disease

  13. Treatment pathway • Clinic – decision to have treatment • Referred to chemotherapy unit • Arrange chemotherapy chat • Discuss with pharmacy • Arrange treatment date

  14. How is chemotherapy given? • Intravenous injection: bolus, infusion, continuous infusion • Orally • Injection: subcutaneous / intramuscular • Each regime has its own schedule. • Single agent or Combination • Importance of rest periods

  15. Side effects • Chemotherapy targets all cells which divide rapidly. • Particularly: the lining of the mouth & digestive tract, hair follicles, blood cells.

  16. Side effects cont.

  17. Side effects cont • Bloods are monitored regulary throughout treatment • Certain blood results have to be at a certain level for chemotherapy to be given. • Fbc,Wbc,Neutrophil Count,Platlet Count • Lfts.Renal function and Bone profile

  18. Length of treatment • Depends on response • Monitored by CT scans,MRI,Measurements,Blood results • Depends on toxicity eg neutopenic sepsis • Regime length eg FEC x6

  19. Recent developments • Oral treatments • Cancer vaccines • Monoclonal antibodies • Clinical trials.

  20. Conclusion • Chemotherapy offers great hope but can be a difficult experience. • Our aim is to make it as positive as possible and to help patients find their way of coping with the challenges they face.

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