About Chemotherapy Treatment

Chemotherapy is the treatment of a medical disorder with a drug or group of drugs, according to a specific regimen. The term generally refers specifically to cancer treatment, and the drugs typically target cells that divide quickly. Chemotherapy usually has significant side effects, which the physician must take into account when determining a course of treatment.

Origin

Chemotherapy originally had a much broader meaning than just cancer treatment. It frequently referred to the use of antibiotics, known specifically as antibacterial chemotherapy. The first chemotherapeutic agent of this type was arsphenamine, an antibiotic that contains arsenic. This antibiotic was used to treat syphilis in 1909. Other early types of antibacterial agents include penicillin and various sulfonamides, also known as sulfa drugs. Autoimmune disorders are also commonly treated with chemical agents. These disorders include lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Chemical Warfare

Chemical warfare provided the basis for the first uses of chemotherapy for cancer. Victims of mustard gas and similar compounds were found to be strong suppressors of blood production during the two world wars. Researchers reasoned that these chemicals might be effective against certain types of leukemia, which are characterized by rapidly growing white blood cells. Mustine was the first chemical agent to come from this line of research.

Effects

Chemotherapy generally does not specifically target cancerous cells. These drugs generally have a greater effect on fast-growing cells, which is why hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy. The degree to which chemical agents damage cells is known as their cytotoxicity. The primary challenge in modern chemotherapy is to maximize the effect against cancer cells while minimizing the effect on normal cells.