CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy is one of the main methods of treating cancer. It is carried out with the help of the drugs which destroy malignant cells and prevent their growth and development. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drugs spread throughout the body and can affect distant metastases. This is its main advantage in comparison with surgery and radiation therapy, when only the tumor is removed or irradiated.

Most often chemotherapy is used in combination with other methods of cancer treatment. It is performed both before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor, and after it to destroy the remaining cancer cells in the body. In some cases, such as lymphomas and tumors of the lymphatic system, chemotherapy is the only effective method.

Chemotherapy is based on the drugs which slow or stop the growth of malignant cells and destroy them. They help to reduce the size of the tumor or prevent its active development and metastasis. Chemotherapy is also effective in treating cancer with metastases and preventing relapses - it is used after surgery to destroy cancer cells that could spread with blood and lymph throughout the body.

Types of chemotherapy:

• adjuvant – is used after radiation therapy or tumor removal for destroying metastases and remnants of cancer cells;
• neoadjuvant – is used at the beginning of the treatment process for reducing the volume of the tumor before surgery or radiation.

One more type of chemotherapy is targeted therapy. It is carried out with the help of the drugs which affect only a certain type of protein contained in cancer cells. Its advantage is that healthy cells are not susceptible to destructive effects. Now targeted therapy is still developing and is not used for all types of cancer.

Oncologists of the "Oxford Medical" Clinic follow all specified state and international protocols of cancer treatment. For each type of tumor chemotherapy is carried out according to a specially developed scheme approved by such cancer communities as ESMO, ASCO and NCCN. At the same time the duration of chemotherapy, the number of cycles, drugs and their dosage are chosen individually. They depend on the histological nature and size of the tumor, the weight and height of the patient, the presence of chronic diseases and other peculiarities.

The patient undergoes a full examination before chemotherapy. Usually laboratory tests, X-ray, CT, MRI or endoscopic procedures are performed. The «Oxford Medical» clinic is equipped with the latest systems produced by the world's leading brands: Hamilton Medical, Olympus, Siemens, Nihon, Philips and others. It allows conducting the most accurate studies and diagnosing tumors just several millimeters in size.

In most cases chemotherapy drugs are administered intravenously. As a rule, IVs are carried out in a day hospital, but sometimes hospitalization is required.

At the "Oxford Medical" clinic chemotherapy is carried out with high-quality certified drugs. We purchase them from official distributors. It means that we are confident in the quality and effectiveness of the medicines.

Our doctors pay special attention to maintenance therapy, which reduces the symptoms of side effects.

Chemotherapy repeatedly increases the effectiveness of cancer treatment. Most often it is a mandatory element of a comprehensive program. At the «Oxford Medical» clinic you can undergo chemotherapy according to international protocols under the supervision of experienced oncologists in a comfortable day or round-the-clock hospital.