Chemotherapy Isn't Only for Cancer Patients

When you hear the word chemotherapy what immediately comes to mind? Cancer. Bald. Nausea. Vomiting. Infusions. Sterility. Bone Pain? Upon hearing that word, most people jump to the same conclusions, with the same general consensus on how chemo works, who receives it, and what side effects it has on the body. The truth is chemotherapy isn't only for cancer patients, and affects each patient differently depending on how it is used. Chemotherapy is a widely used class of drugs to treat many different disorders including, but not limited to: cancers, blood disorders, and a plethora of autoimmune diseases. Similarly it can be administered in many different forms: intravenously, topically, injected, or received orally. Each chemotherapy affects patients individually depending on the of type of chemo and the dose given. While many cause hair loss, sterility, and nausea, others do not. This does not mean however, that the drug being received is not a chemotherapy agent. All chemotherapies work to eliminate the growth of rapidly dividing cells in the body. Some do this by directly damaging DNA, interfering with DNA building, while others simply alter the DNA in a way we do not quite yet understand. The different types and dosages of chemo given are decided by your physician who can determine what the patient will benefit from most. Lately there has been stir in the media about a young singer named Selena Gomez battling an autoimmune disease called lupus. Selena stated in a recent...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news