Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a treatment used to destroy various cancers. In chemotherapy, various drugs or chemicals are used which either slows down or stops growth of cancer cells. CAF is a chemotherapy drug which is used to treat breast cancer. CAF chemotherapy comprises of three drugs which include cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin) and fluorouracil (5FU).

CAF chemotherapy treatment is applied in cycles which can be given to you as a day patient. Before the chemotherapy treatment, a blood test needs to be performed. If results of the blood test are normal, your chemotherapy treatment will start. It will take couple of hours to prepare your chemotherapy drugs.

Chemotherapy drugs are administered separately in CAF treatment. A thin, flexible tube is put into a vein in your hand or arm. Sometime, a plastic tube is inserted under the skin to have their chemotherapy treatment. Some anti-sickness drugs are usually given by injection through the cannula or central line which is connected to a drip. Some anti-sickness medicines are also available in tablets which are taken orally.

CAF chemotherapy is applied in different ways. Chemotherapy drugs are given separately. Doxorubicin is injected alongside a drip of salt water into your cannula or line while cyclophosphamide is administered as a drip or as an injection alongside a drip of saline or it can be also taken as tablets. This is followed by an injection of fluorouracil or 5FU which is injected into your cannula or line.

CAF chemotherapy is applied in cycles. There are two different schedules or regimens are followed for CAF chemotherapy. Your doctor will decide one of chemotherapy regimens for your treatment.

In regimen A, on the first day of treatment, all three chemotherapy drugs (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and 5FU) are given by drip and injection. This is followed by a rest period or recovery period of three weeks. This completes a cycle of your treatment. After rest period, the treatment is given again. Total 4 to 6 cycles are given over 4 months of period.

In regimen B, cyclophosphamide tablets are taken for 14 days (Day 1 to 14 of treatment). On the first day of treatment itself, an injection of doxorubicin and fluorouracil is given treatment. On the 8th day of treatment (one week later) injections of doxorubicin and fluorouracil are given again. After finishing your cyclophosphamide tablets, you will have a rest period of two weeks. New cycle will start after rest period. Usually four cycles are given.

Chemotherapy usually stops growth of fast growing cancerous cells. However, chemotherapy drugs also damage some normal body cells which cause some unpleasant side effects. However each patient reacts differently to chemotherapy treatment. Some patients experience few side effects, while others may have more.

The side effects associated with chemotherapy include nausea, vomiting, low appetite, low resistance to infection, bleeding, anemia, sickness, hair loss, memory loss and sore mouth. These side effects are temporary and will disappear once the treatment is over. However, do not ignore any of the side effects and contact your doctor immediately.