Medical Oncology

Introduction 

Medical oncology is a subspeciality in oncology that deals with the diagnosis and management of cancer. Medical oncologists use various therapies, such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or immunotherapy, to treat cancer patients. Fortis Healthcare offers cancer care services using the latest technologies. The various cancer treatments include medical oncology, surgery, and radiation. 

Therapies in Medical Oncology 

The various types of therapy in medical oncology are as follows: 

Chemotherapy 

Cancer cells develop and multiply faster than normal cells. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to suppress the growth of cancer cells. These drugs enter the body through the bloodstream and act against the cancer cells present anywhere in the body. Chemotherapy is combined with other treatments, such as surgery and radiation. 

Benefits of chemotherapy 

Chemotherapy has the following benefits: 

• If the tumour size is large, chemotherapy is used to reduce its size before performing surgery or radiotherapy. It is usually used in cancers with a higher risk of spreading to other parts of the body. 
• In combination therapy, multiple drugs are used so that if the body is resistant to one drug, the other drug can act against the cancer cells. 
• When the cancer spreads to other organs, chemotherapy can be used to reduce the recurrence rate. 
• For some cancers, low-dose treatments are used continuously to lessen the severity of symptoms in cancer patients. 
• It is also used to manage autoimmune conditions, such as arthritis and psoriasis. 
• It is used to reduce the activity of the immune system during bone marrow transplantation. 

Side effects of chemotherapy 

An individual may experience the following symptoms after chemotherapy: 

• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Loss of appetite 
• Weight loss 
• Dry mouth 
• Fertility issues 
• Bleeding disorders 
• Hair loss 
• Fertility problems  
• Blood disorders  

Though chemotherapy has side effects, our experts at Fortis Healthcare are dedicated in providing personalised care and support to manage them. 

Targeted therapy 

Cancer causes mutations in cells, resulting in their rapid growth and multiplication. Medico-oncologists perform biomarker tests to determine the type of mutation. Based on the mutation, they administer drugs orally or intravenously. 

Benefits of targeted therapy 

The targeted therapy has the following benefits: 

• It does not affect the healthy cells. 
• It targets the proteins of cancer cells and acts against their mutation, thereby preventing their multiplication. 
• It interrupts the blood supply to tumours and prevents their growth. 
• As it specifically targets the mutated gene of cancer cells, it shows an improved response rate. 
• It shows reduced recurrence rates, thereby improving the treatment outcomes. 

Side effects of targeted therapy 

Some commonly noticed side effects in targeted therapy are 

• Inflammation of the liver 
• Skin rashes 
• Loose stools 
• Hypertension 
• Blood disorders 

Immunotherapy 

Our immune system is designed in such a way that it acts against the foreign bodies and protects the body. The immunotherapy drugs act against the cancer cells along with the immune system and destroy them. 

Benefits of immunotherapy 

The benefits of immunotherapy are as follows: 

• It boosts the immune cells and makes them effective against the cancerous growth. 
• It helps the immune system to prevent the spread of cancer cells. 
• Checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy, combine with proteins over T-cells to restrict the growth of cancerous cells.  
• Medico-oncologists remove the immune cells and produce similar cells in the laboratory. They transfer the cells into the body to destroy cancer cells. This method is called T-cell transfer therapy. 
• Antibodies are produced in the laboratory to disrupt the abnormal proteins in cancer cells. It is referred to as the monoclonal antibody therapy. 
• Cancer vaccines act against the specific antigens present in the cancer cells and protect the body against infections associated with cancer. 
• Modulators, such as cytokines, are used to manage the immune cells, which, in turn, disrupt the function of cancer cells. 

Side effects of immunotherapy  

There are immune-related side effects, such as inflammation, rashes, and fatigue. Other commonly noticed side effects are nausea, headache, vomiting, loose stools, thyroid dysfunction, and respiratory ailments. The supportive services and interventions at Fortis Healthcare minimize the discomfort and improve the treatment outcome. 

Hormonal therapy 

In hormonal therapy, the hormones are administered externally to modify the endocrine system. These hormones inhibit the specific hormones that cause cancer. 

Benefits of hormonal therapy 

Hormonal therapy has the following benefits: 

• Aromatase inhibitors act by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme. They are used for the management of breast cancer that occurs after menopause.  
• Oestrogen receptor modulators are used for the treatment of breast cancer as they prevent the attachment of oestrogen to cancer cells. 
• Certain hormones are used to reduce the production of oestrogen and progesterone in females and testosterone in males. It reduces the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer in females and males, respectively. 
• It targets only the cancer cells and helps in preserving the adjacent healthy structures. 
• Hormonal therapy acts systemically and is used as an adjunct therapy with surgery and radiation. 
• It has reduced the recurrence rate in hormone-related cancers. 
• It reduces the discomfort during advanced stages of cancer. 

Side effects of hormonal therapy 

There are a few possible side effects: 

• Changes in menstrual cycle 
• Vaginal discharge 
• Mood changes 
• Nausea 
• Vomiting 
• Headache 
• Fatigue 
• Muscle pain 
• Joint pain 

The above-mentioned therapies improve the quality of life in people experiencing long-term cancer. It reduces the progression of cancer, thereby improving the survival rate. These therapies are used to reduce the pain when the cancer has progressed to advanced stages. In addition, researchers are developing various drugs to prolong the lives of cancer patients. Fortis Healthcare is one of the best oncology hospitals in India, specialising in all types of oncology treatments at affordable costs. Book your appointment online. 

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