Question

How do chemotherapy & radiation therapy work as a treatment for cancer? What are some of the side effects of chemo and radiation? Why do you think these occur?

Answer 1

Chemotherapy is the method of treating cancer using drugs which kills the cancer cells. This method works through the whole body to prevent the spread of cancer cells. The type of drug or drugs used depends on the type and stage of cancer along with the health condition and age of the patient. The main objective of this method is to stop the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body.

Radiation therapy is a method in which high-energy particles or waves are used to destroy cancer cells. Special equipments are used to emit high waves of radiation to the cancer cells or tumor. It affects only a part of the body that has cancer.

Though both these methods are effective in destroying cancer cells, they have side effects also. The side effects are as follows-:

Chemotherapy- This method can sometimes damage healthy cells also along with the cancer cells such as the blood forming cells in the bone marrow leading to increased risk of anemia and infections. It can also damage the hair follicles leading to temporary hair loss. damage the cells of the digestive and reproductive tract leading to several digestive issues, diarrhea, constipation etc.

Radiation therapy- This therapy can also damage various healthy cells in the same manner as chemotherapy but the effect happens only in a particular body part where the tumor or cancer cells are present. So, in this method the normal healthy cells surrounding the cancer cells also gets damaged.

Not every individuals get all the side effects. The severity of side effects depends on the age, health condition and the drugs used or the method used and hence, it varies from person to person. According to me, since both the methods can damage the healthy cells as well, it will have some side effects.