Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer or cytotoxic drugs to kill cancer cells. It is often given as treatment in the case of colon cancer.
How is Chemotherapy given?
Chemotherapy can be given in different ways:
Systemic Chemotherapy:
Systemic chemotherapy is the method in which the chemo drugs are given intravenously or can be given orally. The drugs enter the bloodstream and reach all the areas of the body. This can reduce the risk of colon cancer spreading to other parts of the body.
Regional Chemotherapy
In this method of chemo drugs are put into the artery that leads to the part of the body with the tumor. By doing this the side effects are reduced as the amount of the drug reaching the rest of the body is limited. Hepatic artery infusion is an example of regional of regional chemotherapy. In the process of a hepatic artery infusion, chemotherapy is given directly into the hepatic artery and this method is sometimes used for cancer that has spread to the liver.
When is Chemotherapy used in colon cancer?
Chemotherapy can be used at different times during the treatment of colon cancer. Chemotherapy can be used in the following ways:
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is given before surgery and sometimes with radiation. This is done to shrink the tumor to make it easier to remove during surgery
Adjuvant chemotherapy
Adjuvant chemotherapy is given to the patient after surgery. The goal of this kind of treatment is kill the cancer cells that have been left behind after surgery. This helps lower the risk of the cancer coming back.
Chemo for advanced cancer
Chemotherapy can be used when the cancer has spread to the other organs as it can be used to ease out symptoms and it can be used to shrink tumors. It is called as palliative chemotherapy Even though it cannot fully cure the patient it can help them live longer and feel better.