What is Chemotherapy? How is it Applied?

Various allergic reactions may occur during or after the administration of chemotherapy drugs. Inform your nurse or doctor if you experience various complaints such as feeling of distress, palpitations, shortness of breath, redness and blistering of the skin, abdominal pain or if you feel unwell during the application. 

You will not feel any more pain or soreness than you would during a blood draw or any injection. Sometimes the medicine may leak out of the vein and you may feel swelling, redness, pain or burning around the vein where the needle is inserted. If this happens, you should tell your nurse immediately. Because this may be the result of the needle coming out of the vein and if you do not intervene immediately, tissue damage may occur in that area in the future. In addition, sometimes, depending on the drugs given, hardening, darkening or pain may occur in the vein where the drug is given.

The duration, dose and frequency of chemotherapy depends on the type of your disease, the drugs you are taking and the response of your disease to the drugs. One course of chemotherapy is not enough to destroy all cancer cells. Depending on the type of disease, your general condition and the response of your disease to the treatment, it should be applied several times at regular intervals. The duration, frequency and drug doses are adjusted according to certain predetermined protocols. Chemotherapy can be given daily, weekly or monthly for different periods of time. 

The duration and frequency of the treatment protocol will be explained to you by your doctor. However, the planned duration of treatment may change depending on your body's response and your need for treatment, your treatment may be prolonged, or you may be switched to other treatment protocols. Sometimes your treatment may be delayed for a while due to the effects of chemotherapy drugs on the bone marrow. The duration of your one-time treatment depends on the type and number of drugs used in your treatment. Some drugs are applied in half an hour, while others may take an hour, several hours or even 48 hours. Sometimes the treatment may take several days in a row. 
Each treatment is followed by a rest period to protect the body from the unwanted effects of chemotherapy drugs. Making the most of the rest periods (good and balanced nutrition, protection against infectious diseases, etc.) will help you to have a more comfortable treatment period.
 

The doses of the drugs given are calculated according to the weight and height of the person. Your doctor will calculate the dose you should take according to your height and weight and prepare your treatment plan.

You do not need to come to treatment hungry. However, having eaten your meal 1-2 hours before the treatment and preferring light foods will make your treatment comfortable. If you wish, you can bring crackers, water, fruit juice or unroasted nuts, dried fruits to eat during the medication.

Some medicines can interact with chemotherapy drugs, interfere with each other's effects and cause serious side effects. It is very important that you tell your doctor or nurse the name, dose and frequency of each medication you take at home before you start chemotherapy. You should remember that medicines that you do not think of as medicines, such as aspirin, painkillers, cold medicines, herbal medicines, nutritional supplements and vitamins, may also interact with chemotherapy.

• Do not use any medication during treatment without asking your doctor. 
• Avoid unnecessary vitamin use. 
• Tell your doctor and nurse about all medicines you are taking (including birth control pills, if any). 
• Inform your doctor about any medicines that another doctor has recommended to you or that you buy from the pharmacy. 
• Do not get hepatitis and flu shots without asking. 

During chemotherapy, some imaging tests (such as chest X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, PET, etc.) and blood tests are performed at intervals deemed appropriate by your doctor to evaluate whether you are responding to the treatment.
How often are check-ups performed and how long do they last? A patient diagnosed with cancer should undergo lifelong check-ups even after the end of treatment. 

This is to check whether the disease has recurred and to monitor early and late side effects of chemotherapy. The frequency of your check-ups will be decided by your doctor and explained to you. Although it is different for each disease group, physician visits and some tests will be required with decreasing frequency. In case of bleeding from anywhere between the control periods, intense general weakness, persistent regional pain, persistent nausea and vomiting, persistent headache, etc., it would be appropriate to consult your doctor without waiting for your control appointment.