What is Induction Chemotherapy?
Induction chemotherapy is generally used in advanced stages of cancer. It is generally the first step your doctor will take to fight cancer cells in your body. The goal is to attack the cancer, causing the cells to weaken and preventing cancer cell growth. Some types of cancer will only respond to chemotherapy and several rounds may be required to fight the cancer and put it into remission. However, there are other types of cancer that may need radiation therapy once the chemo cycle is over. If the cancer can actually be surgically removed, then chemotherapy will be used before the surgical removal of your tumor. Your oncologist will determine, based on the type and severity of your cancer, which types of cancer treatments will work best.A Risk of Induction Chemotherapy
Your doctor will only administer the amount of chemotherapy you need. If at all possible, other forms of treatment will be used before using additional rounds of induction chemotherapy. The reasoning for this is that there is a risk to over-treating with induction chemotherapy. If used too much, induction chemotherapy can lead to leukemia, a type of blood cancer that is very difficult to treat.Induction Chemotherapy Controversy
The safety and effectiveness of induction chemotherapy has been a topic up for debate for a great deal of time. Initially, it was thought that induction therapy could increase the health of all cancer patients. Later trial and evaluation of the therapy, however, showed a slightly different story. It was found that chemotherapy, in conjunction with other types of treatments was more successful. It was also shown that the success of induction therapy depended greatly on the type of cancer the patient was fighting. Overall, it was found that, if at all possible, induction chemotherapy should be avoided.If your doctor has recommended induction chemotherapy, you don’t have to worry though. Your doctor is likely very aware of the risks and the potential benefits. Your doctor obviously feels that induction chemo is your best chance and it is unlikely that induction chemotherapy will be the only type of treatment used, unless you have a chemo-sensitive tumor or type of cancer.
Induction Chemotherapy for AML
One of the most popular uses for induction chemotherapy is for the treatment of AML, otherwise known as acute myeloid leukemia. Induction chemotherapy is used as the first line of treatment to help kill the detectable cancer cells. Once induction chemo is completed, a secondary type of treatment, known as consolidation therapy is used.Induction therapy can also be used as remission therapy. In this case, two different medications are used – daunorubicin and cytarabine. These are both used to damage DNA cells while they are being replicated. The replication of DNA is what causes leukemia.
Side Effects of Induction Chemotherapy
Because of how chemotherapy works, side effects are very common. Some side effects are potentially fatal. Knowing what to expect and how to detect potentially fatal side effects can help you be more prepared for the chemotherapy process.Common side effects that are not usually fatal can include nausea and vomiting, hair loss, constipation, sores in the mouth or throat, fatigue, damage to the reproductive organs, changes in taste, appetite loss, changes in thinking or memory, and weight changes. Some of these side effects, however, like diarrhea, can become fatal if they are not addressed properly. Your doctor can help you deal with side effects that could become dangerous and will advise you on the proper methods for handling them.
Side effects that can become dangerous and even potentially fatal include heart damage, nervous system changes, liver damage, lung damage, kidney and urinary system damage, and bone marrow suppression. Those at the highest risk for potentially fatal conditions generally have other health conditions. For example, individuals at the highest risk for heart conditions from chemotherapy are those that already have heart complications. Some conditions like kidney disease are most likely to occur in patients that are not addressing other side effects properly.
