ABVD Chemotherapy
ABCD chemotherapy is another name for the drugs used to treat cancer. The drugs used are Adriamycin now called doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine. The process used for this type of chemotherapy is outpatient yet this is to be determined by the attending physician as everyone responds differently to the treatments.
The treatment consists of having blood work prior to the drug treatment. Once the physician is sure the patient is able to receive the drugs, the patient will have a plastic tube called a cannula inserted into a vein in the hand or arm. The original insertion of the tube is said to be uncomfortable but the affects will wear off as you adjust to the feeling and pressure. Some people prefer to have the cannula inserted near the collarbone called a central line or in the area in the arm called a PICC line. Ask your attending nurse or physician about the various types you can have for your chemotherapy.
The standard process for ABVD chemotherapy begins with you receiving an anti-emetic drug to fight the sickness you may experience as an injection in the tubing or as an oral medication. Then you will have an injection of doxorubicin, which is a red fluid combined with saline followed by vinblastine, which is a clear fluid, then bleomycin and dacarbazine, which are both colorless. The process takes about two hours since the injections are administered slowly.
When you are an outpatient for the chemotherapy, you will be allowed to return home after the administration of the drugs and the cannula is removed. Your physician may provide anti-sickness medication to help you deal with the side effects of the treatment. It is important to realize the drugs used for nausea are best used prior to the symptoms since they work better to relieve the sickness before it actually starts.
The physician based on the blood work showing the recovery for the blood count will determine the ABVD chemotherapy treatments. Careful monitoring the blood count is the basis to determine the frequency of the chemotherapy, which will be discussed with you by your physician and can vary depending on the way your body adjusts to the treatments.