chemo

che·mo (km)

n.

Chemotherapy or a chemotherapeutic treatment.

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Patient discussion about chemo.

Q. Is chemotherapy the only treatment for breast cancer? They found a lump and took a biopsy, and now they want to do chemotherapy and a surgery, are there any other ways of treatments that not include injecting poison into my body?

A. The type of treatment recommended to you by your cancer specialist will depend on the size and location of the tumor in the breast, the results of lab tests done on the cancer cells and the stage or extent of the disease. Breast cancer treatments are local or systemic. Local treatments are used to remove, destroy or control the cancer cells in a specific area, such as the breast. They include: 1.Surgery, either mastectomy or lumpectomy also called breast conserving therapy or partial mastectomy) with or without lymph node removal. 2.Radiation therapy.
Systemic treatments are used to destroy or control cancer cells all over the body. They include: 1.Chemotherapy which uses drugs to to kill cancer cells. 2.Hormone therapy , including tamoxifen, and the aromatase inhibitors Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara.3.Biological Therapy such as Herceptin, works by using the body's immune system to destroy cancer cells. http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-cancer-treatment Hope this helps

Q. Wigs after chemotherapy – where do I start? I ‘m 55 years old woman, and was diagnosed with colon cancer. After the operation (that went well, thankfully), I’m going to start chemotherapy soon. I was told that there’s a good chance I’ll loss my hair. I know it may sound captious, but my hair is very important for me. I was told a wig is a useful option. Does anyone have any tips?

A. I had hair loss due to another illness but found a new life with wigs and great hats! I had the opportunity to be anyone I wanted to be! A great wig can be found online at a big wig web site. I have dozens and enjoy all they offer! If you loose your hair, it will come back, but take advantage of all the fun wigs available! Laugh with your friends and they will laugh with you, not at you! You are in control of this part of your experience, blessings!

Q. What foods and beverages are best to give with cancer/chemo related nausea and vomiting? My father is undergoing chemo for malignant melanoma that has spread to liver/lungs/kidneys. He has constantly nausea and vomits at the drop of a hat. How do I get some nutrition into him? What would help other than prescription meds which he is already on?

A. If he's vomiting, he needs to ask for his anti-sickness meds to be changed or adjusted. They are much better these days, and I found that though I felt nauseous I never vomited.
He should eat whatever he feels he can manage or will make him feel better. Don't worry too much about him getting a healthy or balanced diet, he can put that right when chemo's over. I went through a stage during chemo when I only wanted mashed potatoes; bland carbohydrate was all I fancied, and I ate a lot of them!
I found that ginger in any form helps with nausea - ginger tea, ginger biscuits, crystallized ginger - anything. Cola helped too - some people find it more effective if it's allowed to go flat before drinking it.

Hope your dad gets some relief soon.