Five Common Chemotherapeutic Agents: Cancer Treatments, Side Effects and Complications

Abstract: This is a 15 page paper discussing five common chemotherapeutic agents in their treatment of cancer, their side effects and complications. Chemotherapeutic agents are used to interfere with the growth of cancer cells in an effort to destroy them. When studying the alkylating agents chlorambucil, thiotepa and carmustine and the antimetabolites fludarabine and floxuridine, it is has been found that although these chemotherapeutic agents are used in the treatment of various forms of cancer, they can also cause a great many side effects ranging from nausea, hair loss, bloody stools and urine, back and abdominal pain and even secondary cancer which may appear months or years after the administration of the treatment. Patients taking chemotherapeutic agents are also warned that they may cause birth defects during pregnancy or affect the children of mothers breast-feeding. Nevertheless, chemotherapeutic agents have been found to cure over 20 percent of new cancers diagnosed and with proper caution by the patient, physician and administering staff, the patient may overcome the cancer with this form of treatment. Bibliography lists 12 sources.

Filename: TJChemo1.rtf

Pages: 15

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Catagory: Disease, Treatment, & Epidemiology

Subcatagory: Medicine, Medical Issues, & Pharmacy

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