When you think of chemotherapy, do you picture someone losing their hair, becoming weak and just looking sick? Although chemo can have these side effects, Patricia Madej, MD, a medical oncologist with Adventist Bolingbrook and Adventist Hinsdale Hospitals, says medicine to treat cancer has moved beyond these stereotypes.

“Very few of us are driving the same car we did in the 1980s – things change and improve,” Dr. Madej says. “The same holds true with chemotherapy. When it comes to managing unpleasant side effects, we’ve made remarkable strides over the last several years.”

Chemo 101
When it comes to treating cancer, patients have a lot of options – including surgery, radiation, hormone therapy and chemotherapy. “Simply said, chemotherapy is any drug used to stop cancer cells from growing,” Dr. Madej says. Up to 70 percent of patients who are diagnosed with cancer are candidates for chemotherapy, which can be used to:

1. Prevent cancer cells from returning. Although the goal of surgery is to remove all the cancer, chemotherapy may decrease the chance of recurrence.
2. Shrink tumors. A woman may need a mastectomy, but if she has chemotherapy, it may shrink the tumor enough to where she can have a lumpectomy instead.
3. Treat patients who have relapsed. If cancer was removed successfully but then returns, chemotherapy is often the next line of defense.

Although chemotherapy is most often given intravenously, the amount and duration depends on the individual, the cancer stage and the specific chemotherapy drug.

Managing side effects
According to Dr. Madej, tumor cells are some of the fastest growing cells in the body. Chemotherapy works by stopping your body’s most active cells from dividing. Unfortunately, this isn’t always limited to cancer cells. Hair follicles and blood cells are also some of the fastest growing cells in our bodies, which is why chemotherapy can cause hair loss, low blood counts and fatigue. Other possible side effects can include nausea, loss of or increased appetite and pain.

Oftentimes, patients can take certain medications prior to chemotherapy treatment to help prevent nausea, for example. Oncologists also recommend patients eat light foods, get enough sleep and exercise during their treatment to help control side effects.

At Adventist Midwest Health, all cancer patients can find a multidisciplinary team dedicated to helping them through treatment. “We’re big on support and education to aggressively prevent and decrease side effects,” Dr. Madej says.

The future of chemo
Controlling side effects isn’t the only way chemotherapy is improving. According to Dr. Madej, researchers are now working on more precise treatments. “In targeted therapy, drugs would only attack cancer cells,” she says. “We’re also looking at the tumor’s DNA to determine how aggressive its cells are. Based on that information, we can use treatments to destroy cancer in the most effective way. This is a very exciting time for cancer treatment.”

Patients who receive cancer treatment at Adventist Midwest Health receive physical and emotional support. “From clinical trials to support groups, we help patients through one of the most challenging and difficult times in their lives,” Dr. Madej says.

Call to schedule a same- or next-day screening mammogram during October and you could win a $500 gift card. Call 630-856-7070 today.