R-ICE Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a process of using various drugs to treat the cancer. One of the treatments used is called R-ICE Chemotherapy. This process includes using Ifosfamide in a 4,000 mg dosage for one day, with Mesna in an 800 mg dosage 1 hour prior to the Ifosfamide and 2 hours after the Ifosfamide followed by another dosage at 8 – 12 hours after the Ifosfamide. Cisplatin in 25 mg is taken for 1 to 3 days as well as Etoposide in 100 mg for the same length of time. The addition of Rituxan is added to this combination of the medications to create the R-ICE chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy has many types of treatments to help cure cancer. It is a treatment that is helpful to either cure or slow down the process of cancer. Cancer patients have the chemotherapy based on their type of cancer, level of growth of cancer, and the recommendation of the treating physician.The treatments are based on how the patient will respond or tolerate the treatments. Since everyone is different and responds differently, monitoring the progress of the patient is part of the treatment. A determining factor for the frequency of the treatment is the how quickly the patient’s blood count recovers from the chemotherapy.
The typical regimen for the chemotherapy is given on a three or four week treatment schedule. The patient receives the chemotherapy treatments as an outpatient for one day each week of the scheduled plan. The reason for the standard schedule is this period has been proven the time required for the recovery of the blood cell count.
When a person is using the R-ICE Chemotherapy, it is not recommended that they continue the procedures until their blood counts are able to tolerate the treatments. Many patients have the treatments provided in several sessions to reduce the levels of side effects as an inpatient at the hospital. This type of treatment is done under the closer supervision of the attending physician. While other patients respond to treatment with the simple consumption of the chemotherapy medications over several days. The exact type of treatment will be determined by the physician to ensure the patient responds accordingly to the chemotherapy.