What is RICE Chemotherapy

RICE chemotherapy can be used to treat a variety of cancers, including bone cancer, bowel cancer, melanoma, brain tumors, bladder cancer, lung cancer, and more. However, it is most commonly used for lymphoma, which is a cancer that occurs in the body’s lymph nodes. There are two different types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. RICE chemotherapy can be used to treat both types of lymphoma.

Drugs Found in RICE Chemotherapy

RICE is the abbreviation for the types of drugs it contains; Rituximab, Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, and Etoposide. The Rituximab can be omitted from the chemotherapy treatment. However, the other three drugs are essential to the effectiveness of the treatment.

Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody drug that is used to treat specific types of cancer while causing very little damage to healthy cells. This particular drug recognizes the protein in certain B-cell lymphomas and then locks into it, kind of like a key. It is thought that this may be how the drug indicates to the body to fight the cancer cells. Some healthy cells may be damaged but the normal, healthy cells will be able to recover.

What to Expect During Treatment

It can be pretty intimidating before your first treatment. And, while your doctor will discuss everything with you, you may forget a few details. While things can be different for each patient, there are a few things that you can expect from treatment, regardless of your condition or severity.

Your doctor should give you a blood test before you actually start treatment. This is to ensure that your kidneys and other organs are functioning properly. The blood test may be done a few days before your first treatment but it could be done as late as the actual day of your first treatment. Your doctor will decide when to do your blood work.

A plastic tube will be inserted either into your arm or near your collarbone to administer the chemotherapy drugs. They may decide to insert what is known as a PICC line, which will stay inside of your body until your chemotherapy treatments are done. If a PICC line is inserted, your doctor and nurse will discuss with you the proper care procedures that you will need to follow while it is in. This will help minimize any potential risks of having the line in.

Before your chemotherapy drugs are given, you are likely to receive anti-nausea drugs. These will probably be given through your PICC line or IV. However, it may be offered to you in the form of a pill. It is intended to help you avoid serious nausea that can often occur with chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy treatments generally last a couple of hours. They can, however, take longer if you happen to have a reaction to the drugs. Reactions are most common with rituximab, which will be stopped and then restarted, if you should start showing any kind of allergic reaction to the drug. This will cause your chemotherapy treatment time to take longer. After all the drugs are completed and you feel ready to go, you will be able to return home.

Your doctor may prescribe anti-nausea drugs for you to take home. You should take these exactly as they are directed, whether you are feeling sick or not. Some of the drugs given for nausea are designed to help keep nausea away. However, these types of drugs may not do so well at stopping the nausea once it starts, especially if you have not been taking your medication regularly.

The frequency of your treatment will be determined by your doctor. There are three different schedules that your doctor can follow for your treatment cycles. A number of factors will be considered by your doctor, including the type and aggressiveness of your cancer.

Side Effects of RICE Chemotherapy

The side effects of chemotherapy are the one of the big reasons that many people are intimidated. It is important to keep in mind, however, that every person is different. Therefore, you must realize that the side effects that you experience during chemotherapy are likely to be slightly different than what someone else you know might have experienced. Try to stay positive and simply be aware of the potential side effects possible with chemotherapy. Know what to do and how to reduce your risk for certain side effects as well. This will help you feel less intimidated by the chemotherapy treatment before it starts.

The most frequent side effects experienced with RICE chemotherapy include nausea and vomiting. This is why the anti-nausea drugs are given. If you take them according to the instructions, you may be able to greatly reduce the severity of nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy. Some individuals are able to prevent nausea and vomiting altogether. Just be aware that the anti-nausea drugs can cause constipation. This is something you should talk to your doctor about immediately.

You should also be aware that, during chemotherapy treatments, your immune system will be weakened. This is because your white blood cell count is decreased by the chemotherapy drugs. Generally, low white blood cell count will start around the seventh day of your treatment. It reaches its lowest around 10 to 14 days after treatment starts. Once you pass the two week time period, your blood cells should start to increase. They will eventually, after all of your cycles are completed, go back to normal.

What is Intrathecal Chemotherapy

Finding out you have cancer is more than just bad news. It is downright devastating. The word cancer brings fear, uncertainty, and grief. You do not have to accept this, however. You can choose to follow a treatment plan outlined by your doctor and fight back. You may even find a new appreciation for life, once everything is said and done.

Intrathecal chemotherapy is one of the many types of chemotherapy used to treat cancer. It is done by injecting chemotherapy drugs directly into the spinal canal. Intrathecal chemotherapy is used for certain types of cancer and your doctor will only recommend this type of treatment if they feel that it will give you the best chance at survival against the cancer.

If Intrathecal chemotherapy is performed, it is likely that your doctor believes this is the best method in which the chemotherapy drugs can reach the cancer cells and kill them. This is essential to beating the cancer. And, while almost all people get nervous about the idea of having something injected into their spine, know that the procedure will only be performed by qualified health care professionals.

How Intrathecal Chemotherapy is Administered

There are actually two different ways that Intrathecal chemotherapy can be given. It may be given by injection, directly into the spinal canal. This method is known as an intralumbar injection. It may be painful and the healthcare provider may give a local numbing agent before giving you the injection to help reduce the pain. An intralumbar injection requires no extra treatment after you go home, outside of general care needed for chemotherapy.

 Another way that the intrathecal chemotherapy can be given is through the left ventricle of the brain. This is done by placing an Ommaya reservoir underneath the scalp. This will allow the health care provider to easily administer the chemotherapy drugs into the area between your brain and your spinal cord. Before you receive your first round of chemotherapy, you will go in for a surgical implant of the Ommaya reservoir. The back of your head will be shaved and you will be sedated before the reservoir is put into place. Once your chemotherapy treatments are over, the reservoir will be removed.

The method will be determined by your doctor and it will be based upon certain factors. Where exactly your cancer is located could be one of the determining factors. However, the type of cancer as well as the severity will also be considered when making the decision of how your chemotherapy drugs will be given.

Important Information You Need to Know About Chemotherapy

Following your doctor’s instructions and taking care of yourself is important during chemotherapy. This helps to prevent illness and can decrease the potential of serious side effects. Your doctor should give you detailed instructions on how to care for your Ommaya reservoir if you have one. But there are also some other very important things that you need to know about taking care of your body before, during, and after chemotherapy.

Before you actually start treatment, you need to try and keep yourself as healthy as possible. Avoid coming into contact with anyone who is ill and be sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet. This is not the time to try and lose weight. You will need to continue eating healthy and avoiding individuals that are sick throughout your chemotherapy treatments.

Your diet should be high in protein and calories while you are receiving chemotherapy. Your body will need the extra calories to sustain itself during your treatment. After treatment, until your body produces new healthy cells, you will still need to consume more calories to promote the healing process.

To avoid illness, you may want to stay away from large groups of people, if at all possible. Try to get others to go to the grocery store for you and stay away from children, if you can, especially those that go to daycare. Children can often carry illnesses, even if they are not sick.

You should also drink plenty of water and try to get as much rest as possible. Avoid overexerting yourself. This could wear you out very quickly. Remember, your body is fighting cancer right now. You need all of the energy you can possibly get.

You may experience gum, mouth, or throat sores. These can sometimes be prevented, if you take the time to talk to your doctor. If you should notice these sores, you should notify your doctor. While the condition is not serious, it can become painful, making it difficult to eat.

Dizziness or blurred vision can sometimes occur with intrathecal chemotherapy. Balance problems are also common. Generally, the symptoms disappear within just hours of treatment. You can sometimes decrease the problem by lying flat for a while after treatment is completed.

What is CHOP chemotherapy

Few people are aware of the fact that there are many different types of chemotherapy, until they have to learn about it. You may be wondering why this is. Well, to put it simply, different types of cancers respond better to some chemotherapy drugs than others. The multiple types of chemotherapy are to help increase survival rates in cancer sufferers.

What is CHOP Chemotherapy?

The term CHOP refers to the types of chemotherapy drugs that are used with this type of treatment. The first three drugs – Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, and Vincristine – are generally given at the same time. The Adriamycin and Vincristine are given through an IV. The Cyclophosphamide is also usually given through an IV but it can be given in a pill form. The fourth drug in CHOP chemotherapy, Prednisolone, is given in the form of a pill. This is taken for five days at home. CHOP chemotherapy generally goes through 6 to 8 cycles, which are repeated every four weeks. CHOP therapy can be used alone or in conjunction with Rituximab.

What is CHOP Chemotherapy Used For?

CHOP chemotherapy is most commonly used to treat lymphoma that is not Hodgkin’s disease related. Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that specifically affects the white blood cells. It can range from indolent to aggressive. More severe cases of lymphoma may require other types of treatment like radiation, stem cell transplantation, monoclonal antibodies, or immunotherapy. Your doctor can advise you about the severity of your condition and whether or not any of these other types of treatment will be necessary.

CHOP Chemotherapy Side Effects

All types of chemotherapy come with side effects. The most commonly experienced side effects include vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and hair loss. Your doctor may prescribe anti-nausea drugs to help reduce chemotherapy induced nausea. You should also rest as much as possible while undergoing CHOP therapy. This will help you while you are receiving treatment.

Peripheral neuropathy can develop while receiving CHOP chemotherapy. This is a condition in which the feet and hands can tingle or burn. Sensitivity to pressure can occur and you can even experience difficulty when walking. Symptoms of this condition may decrease over time and may even eventually discontinue completely.

More long term side effects have also been noted with CHOP chemotherapy. CHOP therapy leaves you at a high risk for permanent sterility. You will also be at an elevated risk for developing other types of cancer, particularly cancer of the brain, lungs, kidneys, bladder, and melanoma cancer. CHOP increases your risk for developing acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease. Some survivors have also experienced a higher risk of left ventricular dysfunction.

While receiving treatment, you may experience cold chills. Let the nurse know if this happens. They should be able to find you a blanket. You may also experience urine discoloration after treatment. This is common because of the drug Adriamycin. Constipation is also common. Stoll softeners can help remedy this issue but you should talk to your doctor first. If you should happen to experience any burning or red streaks while chemotherapy drugs are being administered, you should notify the nurse immediately.

Things You Should Discuss With Your Doctor

Before you receive CHOP chemotherapy, you should talk with your doctor about any medications you are taking, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, vitamin supplements, and birth control. You should try and avoid getting pregnant while receiving CHOP chemotherapy and should discuss with your doctor immediately if you suspect you could be pregnant at any time during your treatment.

Because individuals with certain health conditions or family history of certain health conditions run a greater risk of certain side effects, you should discuss your health and family history with your doctor before going forward with CHOP chemotherapy. This is especially true if you or anyone in your family have a history of heart conditions. You should also notify your doctor if you smoke since this could increase your risk for certain side effects as well.

Because CHOP chemotherapy can cause permanent sterility, you should talk to your doctor if you want to start a family someday. You may be able to freeze or store your eggs or sperm so that you can safely have a child of your own after the treatment is completed.

Taking Care of Yourself During CHOP Chemotherapy

It is important that you slow down and take care of yourself as you receive treatment. This will help you stay as healthy as possible, decreasing any health risks that can occur during CHOP chemotherapy. Drink more water than usual and avoid overexertion. Pain can become extensive at times during chemotherapy and you may want to take something to help you feel better. However, it is important that you talk to your doctor before taking any medication, including over-the-counter pain medication. Some of these medications can thin your blood and are not recommended for pain relief during your chemotherapy treatments.