Liver cancer treatment in Farmington,
Liver cancer treatment in Farmington, MO can be complicated — especially if your doctor wants you to have chemoembolization as part of the procedure. But fear not! Here’s an explanation of how this relatively simple medical procedure works, so you’ll know what to expect during and after your treatment.
What Is Chemoembolization?
If cancer has spread to your liver or is suspected of having done so, you may be a candidate for a treatment called chemoembolization. This method uses chemotherapy drugs and catheters to destroy cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. While there are other treatments for liver cancer, chemoembolization has proven effective in reducing tumor size and improving long-term survival rates. And its effectiveness should continue to improve as researchers find new ways to fine-tune it. What’s more, thanks to advances in imaging technology that can help doctors target tumors more precisely, chemoembolization can be performed with less risk than ever before. The Benefits of Chemotherapy: Like all forms of chemotherapy, chemoembolization delivers toxic chemicals directly into tumors by way of blood vessels. But unlike systemic therapies that distribute these chemicals throughout your entire body—and often trigger severe side effects—chemoembolization targets only those areas where they’re needed most.
How Does It Work?
In liver cancer treatment in Farmington, chemoembolization works like a charm. During Step 1, your doctor injects a small number of chemotherapy drugs into an artery that feeds blood to your liver. The injection may feel like it’s burning, but don’t worry: that feeling will fade within minutes. In between injections (about an hour later), you will get an X-ray test to make sure that all parts of your body have been treated and no parts have been missed. This is very important because if any untreated areas remain, they could become cancerous again. Once you have received all of your treatments, doctors will perform another scan to ensure that everything has gone according to plan. If not, they can go back and re-inject or add more chemotherapy drugs where necessary. After receiving chemoembolization for liver cancer treatment at Farmington at our center we want our patients to know what kind of aftercare they can expect from us. After each session with us, we offer advice on how patients should take care of themselves at home so as not to aggravate their condition after receiving chemoembolization for liver cancer treatment Farmington at our center we want our patients to know what kind of aftercare they can expect from us.
What Are the Benefits?
That’s an excellent question. There are many benefits to chemoembolization as a treatment for liver cancer, including It being an outpatient procedure, which means you won’t have to spend more than one day at a hospital—or any time at all at a hospital if you don’t want to. Many people who undergo chemoembolization go home that same day and return to their normal routine within 24 hours. The procedure is minimally invasive, meaning it doesn’t require cutting or removing tissue from your body. This is great news for patients who prefer non-invasive options or who may be at higher risk of complications from surgery. Chemotherapy drugs can be directly targeted to only those areas where they are needed most—the liver and tumor(s). As a result, side effects like nausea and vomiting may be reduced because fewer drugs circulate throughout your body.
Who Is A Candidate for Chemoembolization?
Most liver cancers have a poor prognosis, but chemoembolization can be an effective treatment option. Whether or not you’re a candidate for chemoembolization depends on several factors. For example, your age and overall health are important considerations. In addition to these general criteria, there are specific guidelines that determine whether chemoembolization is right for you. These include: Title: Who Is A Candidate for Chemoembolization? Farmington CT
What Happens During Chemotherapy?
When chemotherapy is delivered through a catheter, it is called chemoembolization. A small tube, or catheter, is inserted into a vein and threaded through blood vessels until it reaches one that will deliver treatment directly to the tumor. Because it can be given outside a hospital setting, chemoembolization has become an attractive option for patients who may not be strong enough to endure surgery or lengthy procedures and treatments. Once it’s positioned at its target, chemotherapy drugs are injected through tiny ports on either side of the catheter. The drugs then travel along its length until they reach their destination — usually within minutes — and are released into nearby tissue. This allows them to quickly reach cancer cells without being diluted by blood flow. Chemotherapy drugs used during chemoembolization include those used during systemic therapy: doxorubicin (Adriamycin), cisplatin (Platinol), gemcitabine (Gemzar), and paclitaxel (Taxol).
Recovery Time and Next Steps
You should be able to go about your normal activities within 24 hours. However, you might have some mild pain and bruise from the procedure. So we recommend resting for a day or two after your treatment. As far as long-term effects go, chemoembolization doesn’t cause them. The only potential complications are those that occur during or shortly after treatment.