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Chemotherapy

from Medical topics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2014

By
Ingela Thuné-Boyle
Edited by
Susan Ayers ,
Andrew Baum ,
Chris McManus ,
Stanton Newman ,
Kenneth Wallston ,
John Weinman  and
Robert West
Ingela Thuné-Boyle
Affiliation:
University College London
Susan Ayers
Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus
Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman
Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman
Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West
Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London
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Summary

‘Chemotherapy’ refers to treatment with drugs and can describe the treatment with drugs in any illness. It is however, mainly associated with the treatment of cancer where chemotherapy is short for ‘cytotoxic chemotherapy’. Cytotoxic (cell poison) chemotherapy constitutes a group of drugs used to treat cancer by interfering with the process of cell reproduction.

Chemotherapy is a systemic therapy affecting the entire body. It is particularly toxic to rapidly dividing cells, a primary feature of tumour development, and it works by disrupting cellular function. Unlike radiotherapy, which is mainly used to treat local disease (see ‘Radiotherapy’), the purpose of chemotherapy is to destroy cancer cells that may have spread from the primary site. It is therefore typically given to patients where there is evidence or suspicion of a regional disease spread (i.e. nodal involvement).

The goal of chemotherapy treatment may be (i) as a primary therapy with curative intent; (ii) as adjuvant therapy with curative or long term survival intent, i.e. by controlling the cancer, keeping it from spreading or by slowing its growth; (iii) as a neoadjuvant therapy with the aim of reducing tumour burden or to spare an organ; and (iv) as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms such as pain caused by advanced cancer, to help patients live more comfortably (Knobf et al., 1998).

Side effects and the role of psychological factors

Although chemotherapy works best on rapidly dividing tumour cells, it may also damage healthy cells, especially those that also have a tendency to divide quickly such as cells in the blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina and hair.

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 616 - 618
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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References

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