Chemotherapy and Cancer Care

Chemotherapy is a form of cancer treatment, which uses chemotherapeutic agents as part of a standardized regime against cancer. It generally consists of alkylating agents, antimetabolites, cytotoxic antibiotics, anti-microtubule agents and topoisomerase inhibitors. Different cancers are treated using unique combination chemotherapy regimens. Germ cell tumor is treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin, while colorectal cancer is targeted with folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin. Chemotherapeutic drugs can be administered as a part of induction, consolidation, combination, adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy, among others. It can be given with the aim to cure cancer or to prolong life and reduce symptoms. The efficacy of chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer and its stage. Chemotherapeutic drugs impair mitosis and target fast-dividing cells. They are thus cytotoxic in nature and harm normal cells of the body as well. This leads to several associated side effects, such as myelosuppression, mucositis and alopecia. This book brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of chemotherapy and cancer cure. The various advancements in oncological medicine are glanced at and their applications as well as ramifications are looked at in detail. It aims to equip students and experts with the advanced topics and upcoming concepts in this area.