Cancer is a plethora of terms for a myriad of diseases that make the cells lose their ability to stop growing, by inhibiting contact inhibition. This leads to the abnormal growth of cells, causing a tumorous mass in our body.
Cancer is a life-threatening disease. The treatment of cancer includes a lot of techniques, one of the most famous being Chemotherapy.
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Chemotherapy uses cytotoxic drugs to destroy the unwanted growth of cells. It is a well-known cancer treatment. Let us know more about this treatment.
Introduction Cancer treatment in Chennai
Since cancer includes fast-growing cells that have lost their ability to regulate this division, it is only obvious that any treatment of cancer must include getting rid of these cells.
That’s where chemotherapy comes into play. It includes removing these fast-growing cells from your body by treating them with cytotoxic drugs.
Symptoms
Since the rapidly growing, tumorous mass of cells is depleting all your body’s nutrients, cancer shows a variety of signs and symptoms.
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Here are some of the common ones.
- Constant fatigue: The patient might feel extremely tired, and no amount of rest will make that feeling go away.
- Sudden weight loss: A very common symptom of cancer.
- Pain: Usually pain, with no underlying reason, is seen. The intensity of pain increases as the cancer progresses.
- Blurred vision.
- Headaches
- Weak immunity: Even the mildest pathogens can infiltrate the body’s immune system and cause diseases.
- A lump or some abnormal growth in some part of the body.
- Bleeding and bruising can be seen at a random location on the body with no underlying cause.
Types
There are multiple types of cancers based on the part of the body that is affected. There are more than a hundred types of cancer. A broad division can be done in the following way.
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- Carcinoma: A type of cancer that affects some kind of lining that is skin or epithelia.
- Sarcoma: Cancer of connective tissues, for example, cartilage, adipose tissues etc.
- Lymphoma: This affects the immune system. The most dangerous of the lot.
- Leukemia: Cancer of white blood cells and the bone marrow.
Based on the specific location they target, there can be about a hundred types of cancers. Here are some of the most common ones:
- Skin cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Brain cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Pancreatic cancer etc.
Diagnosis
Early detection is absolutely necessary for the treatment of cancer. In fact, late stages of cancer are untreatable. Moreover, early detection leads to efficient and complete treatment.
Cancer diagnosis is commonly referred to as cancer screenings. Such screenings are recommended for people who have a chance of getting cancer.
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These people include people who are genetically predisposed to a tumor, people working in hazardous conditions, people working with carcinogens, chronic smokers, tobacco chewers etc.
Outlook
Here are all the ways cancer is detected in a person:
- Physical examination: Through asking patients questions and taking history. Also, feel the affected area for any lumps.
- Laboratory tests: Urine tests or blood tests are very helpful.
- Biopsy: A piece of tissue is cut into thin slices and observed under a microscope.
- ELISA: Antibody-antigen interaction is studied.
- Radiodiagnosis: X-ray imaging is used for this.
Treatment of Cancer in Chennai
The treatment journey included multiple visits to the doctor, regular chemotherapy sessions and counseling.
It is done by delivering the drug directly to the affected tissue. For skin cancer, creams can be used.
Complications
The chemicals used in chemotherapy affect the normal cells as well, and very brutally so. They damage these cells. Hair and skin are most commonly affected.
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Long-term damage to the kidney, reproductive organs and Liver can be seen. This can cause infertility.
Further, chemotherapy-drug interactions can cause further complications such as reduced platelets and bleeding disorders.
Prognosis
Recovery from chemotherapy is painful. Some effects such as organ failure require further treatments and may have long-lasting effects.
Other side effects of Chemotherapy like loss of fertility are permanent. Hair usually grows back. Recovery from other symptoms is fast and complete.
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A lot of side effects go away when the treatment is stopped, however, some damage is permanent.
Risk factors
One of the risk factors is organ failure and damage that might cause some serious complications. Further, cancer might return after a while and the treatment can fail.
Side effects
Since the cytotoxins will also be toxic to your body’s own cells, therefore, a variety of side effects are felt by the patients.
These side effects are multifaceted and different in different individuals. Here are some of those side effects:
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- Your skin can be easily bruised. This is because skin cells are adversely affected by the chemo drugs.
- Loss of appetite is another very common side effect.
- Loss of hair that can lead to balding. Also known as alopecia.
- Concentration and memory are also affected.
- Frequent infections are seen.
- Infertility
- Anemia and weakness
- Pain
- Constipation
- Anorgasmia
Pre/post-care
- Pre-chemotherapy care: Before the treatment, you might undergo a series of tests and screenings to decide the amount, dosage and frequency of your chemotherapy.
Doctors will further determine the health of your liver and your kidney. They will check your vitals and give you your chemotherapy schedule. You might also get a portif installed if you are getting Intravenous chemotherapy.
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- Post-chemotherapy care: You have to rest properly. You have to take good care of yourself. You are extremely prone to infections, so you should stay hygienic.
Treatment Cost of Cancer in Chennai
Chemotherapy has different prices in different countries. Further, the price you have to pay depends on what type of chemotherapy you will get.
It will also be affected by the dosage and frequency of the treatment. In Chennai, the prices further depend on which hospital you choose.
The average cost of chemotherapy in Chennai is INR 60,000 to INR 2,90,000 per session.
