Oral chemotherapy is a great way to cancer treatment because it is less stressful being that the patient will have less hospital visits and can still maintain a close relationship with health care professionals. Oral chemotherapy is taking a pill or capsule by mouth and can provide tough treatment without the pain of injections. Keeping in mind the emotional and physical stress cancer alone causes, oral chemotherapy offers at home treatment where the patient will be most at ease and comfortable.
Before starting oral chemotherapy, patients will need to discuss any questions or concerns they have with their doctor. Oral chemotherapy carries with it the risk of side effects. Certain tests are required to monitor the cancer’s response to the oral chemotherapy drugs. Some foods and other drugs may affect oral chemotherapy. Doctors will outline a plan with the patient about dosing and other criteria concerning oral chemotherapy for each particular patient.
Oral chemotherapy cannot be as effective if the patient doesn’t adhere to their doctor’s guidelines for taking their medicine at the correct times or making sure they follow directions for any other changes such as diet or what side effects to report. Oral chemotherapy has advantages over other radiological and injected methods of chemotherapy. Patients who follow the exact guidelines given to them by their doctor for oral chemotherapy will benefit greatly.
Some patients may not be able to undergo oral chemotherapy due to other health problems. Some patients may simply not be able to remember their dosing times for oral chemotherapy treatment and will need a family member or home care nurse to help them. Other patients may be taking other vital medicines that would hinder the usage of oral chemotherapy drugs. Even though oral chemotherapy cuts out extended hospital stays, a patient will still need to be able to go to appointments for required tests that monitor their oral chemotherapy treatment. Patients and their families need to make sure their doctor knows their situations that may affect any kind of medical treatment at home.
Oral chemotherapy fights cancer in the same way as other forms of chemotherapy. Oral chemotherapy affects the abnormal cancer cells in the same way as other chemotherapy treatments. However, in the same way, oral chemotherapy also affects healthy cells that will be explained in treatment options by health care professionals.
After beginning an oral chemotherapy treatment plan, there are side effects to contend with. The patient will most likely experience unusual fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, hair loss, and decreased appetite due to oral chemotherapy. Other side effects from oral chemotherapy include joint pain, pain from the nerves that causes weakness and tingling, and dry and cracked skin. Sexual problems can occur due to oral chemotherapy such as vaginal dryness in women and men may not not be able to achieve erection. A patient’s moods can be affected by oral chemotherapy, causing an increase in sadness and depression and memory loss.
Staying in touch with health care professionals about any side effects are essentials to gaining the most benefit from any oral chemotherapy treatment plan. By staying on top of side effects being experienced, doctors will be able to adjust oral chemotherapy treatment accordingly for that patient. The patient’s diligence in a home oral chemotherapy plan is vital in defeating the cancer.
Certain tests are required to be taken by patients being administered oral chemotherapy. Some of these tests include blood taken regularly, blood cultures, CT scans, chest x-rays and are used to check the progress of the cancer and how it is reacting to oral chemotherapy. In some cases a blood transfusion may be required due to oral chemotherapy damaging healthy cells. Some patients may require that vital signs be taken more so than others during oral chemotherapy and a home nurse may be required to check these sometimes on a daily basis. Oral chemotherapy requires most of the monitoring tests that other forms of chemotherapy require.
As with any chemotherapy plan, oral chemotherapy carries with it risks. A patient may have a reaction to oral chemotherapy or develop infections in the mouth and other parts of the body. Oral chemotherapy may not respond well in certain patients and cause the cancer to grow or cause a new cancer to begin to grow in new places.
Another factor for patients to think about when considering oral chemotherapy is payment. Insurance companies have different rules and regulations when it comes to chemotherapy, and that includes oral chemotherapy. Some insurance companies have specific cancer plans that help greatly with oral chemotherapy and it’s costs. Patients need to contact their insurance provider and talk over policies that will help them the most with specific cancer treatments, including oral chemotherapy. The stress of having cancer and receiving oral chemotherapy can be largely reduced when the costs are taken care of before treatment begins.
Patients receiving oral chemotherapy also will require some emotional support. Having cancer causes an array of terrifying emotions, and receiving oral chemotherapy may increase some of these negative emotions. At a time like this for a cancer patient, having family members rallying for them and support groups outside the home can increase the medical benefits of oral chemotherapy.
Learning about cancer and oral chemotherapy is another positive way for patients to confront their particular bout with cancer. Knowing what they are up against is the best way to dispel fears about the cancer they have and about oral chemotherapy. Patients need to be open with health care providers not only about their concerns of oral chemotherapy, but also about mental and emotional issues they may be experiencing that can affect their treatment and over all well-being.
For some patients, just knowing they are taking the oral chemotherapy for their cancer adds to a healthy state of mind while others are scared of what the oral chemotherapy may do to them besides treat the cancer. Everyone reacts differently physically and mentally to cancer and this has everything to do with treatment during chemotherapy.