Aunt Zhang, 62 years old, has just retired, and she originally planned to visit the great rivers and mountains of the motherland with her wife.
However, a stomach cancer diagnosis was like a bolt from the blue, breaking her peaceful life.
That day, she held the diagnosis report, her eyes flashed with fear and confusion, "I heard that chemotherapy is particularly sinful, hair loss, nausea and vomiting, and finally everyone is gone, I can't cure it?"
Her voice reveals a fear of the unknown and a desire for life.
01
Chemotherapy, a frightening term, is it really "a person dies as soon as he undergoes chemotherapy"? In fact, this is a misunderstanding of chemotherapy.
As an important means of treating malignant tumors, the effect and scope of application of chemotherapy are misunderstood and exaggerated by many people.
Chemotherapy is the use of chemical drugs to kill or inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells.
It is currently one of the three major means of treating malignant tumors, along with surgery and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy drugs are able to enter the bloodstream and reach all parts of the body to attack cancer cells that have metastasized or spread.
Many people worry that chemotherapy will hasten the death of patients, which is actually a misconception.
Guo Ye, deputy chief physician of the Department of Medical Oncology at Fudan University Cancer Hospital, made it clear that chemotherapy is a mature treatment and that it will not accelerate the death of patients.
In contrast, according to clinical data, the final mortality rate of the vast majority of chemotherapy regimens is less than 5%. This means that chemotherapy is safe and effective in most cases.
02
Of course, chemotherapy is not suitable for all cancers. Some cancers are not sensitive to chemotherapy, or chemotherapy may have unwanted side effects.
Next, let's talk about cancers that don't require chemotherapy or that may have the opposite effect.
01. Cancers that are not sensitive to chemotherapy.
Carcinoids often do not respond well to chemotherapy, even with chemotherapy. Examples include papillary thyroid cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, and clear cell renal cell carcinoma, which are not sensitive to chemotherapy drugs and are not recommended for chemotherapy.
02. Extremely early stage of cancer.
If the patient is in the early stages of the cancer, surgery may be needed to remove the tumor without chemotherapy. In this case, chemotherapy may cause unnecessary physical burden and side effects on the patient.
03. The cancer has metastasized and cannot be operated.
For these patients, chemotherapy may no longer be effective in controlling the disease, and it may be more physically taxing. Therefore, doctors usually develop a personalized treatment plan based on the specific situation of the patient.
04. Partial damage
The treatment is suitable for small tumors, such as radiofrequency ablation, ultrasound focusing, etc. These methods can act directly on tumor tissue without the intervention of chemotherapy drugs.
05. Non-chemotherapy drug treatment can achieve the purpose of cure
For example, gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, these tumors may be cured only with anti-HP infection treatment without chemotherapy.
03
So, how do you weigh the pros and cons of chemotherapy for patients who need chemotherapy?
01. Choose a regular hospital
First of all, it is important to choose a regular hospital and follow the doctor's instructions for standardized treatment. Doctors will develop a personalized chemotherapy plan based on the patient's specific situation to maximize the efficacy of chemotherapy and minimize side effects.
02. Maintain a positive attitude
At the same time, patients should also maintain a positive attitude and cooperate with the doctor's treatment plan to fight the disease together.
As medicine continues to advance, so do chemotherapy drugs and protocols.
Doctors can more accurately assess the risk of side effects of chemotherapy and provide patients with a more individualized treatment plan. This greatly reduces the burden on patients and improves treatment outcomes and quality of life.
03. Cooperate with the doctor's treatment
Overall, chemotherapy is not a "flood beast", it plays an important role in the treatment of malignant tumors.
Patients should maintain a positive attitude and cooperate with the doctor's treatment plan, while maintaining good nutrition and healthy work and rest habits to cope with the possible side effects of chemotherapy in the best condition.
Remember, a healthy lifestyle and a positive mindset are important weapons in the fight against illness.
04. Rational care
We call on everyone not to be blindly afraid of chemotherapy, and not to believe in some irresponsible rumors and rumors.
For cancer treatment, we should trust science and the professional judgment of doctors. Let's work together to defeat the disease!