Colorectal cancer is a deadly disease that affects a large number of men and women every year in the U.S. So what exactly is colorectal cancer? Well, it’s food-related cancer. Rectum and colon cancers, which are also referred to as colorectal cancer, are cancers that appear in the lining of the large bowel or large intestine. For treatment, there are different types of colorectal cancer medications available. In this article, we will discuss the treatment ‘chemotherapy’ in detail.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is one of the most common colorectal cancer treatments. This is actually a term that is used by doctors to refer to colorectal cancer medications that have the ability to kill cancerous cells. A medical oncologist is assigned to prescribe chemotherapy to cancer patients. These doctors are pros at treating cancer with the help of medication. In order to reach cancer cells throughout the body, systemic chemotherapy gets into the bloodstream. There are a variety of ways in which chemotherapy can be given—intravenously with a pump, intravenously by injection, or in pill form to be taken orally.
Colorectal Cancer Medications
Currently, there are many drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat colorectal cancer. During chemotherapy, your doctor may prescribe one or more drugs. There may also be times when these drugs are used in combination with targeted therapy drugs. Common targeted therapy drugs include:
- Trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102, Lonsurf)
- Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin)
- Fluorouracil (5-FU, Adrucil)
- Capecitabine (Xeloda)
- Irinotecan (Camptosar)
Here are some common treatment regimens that use these drugs:
- Irinotecan
- FOLFIRI: 5-FU with irinotecan and leucovorin
- XELOX/CAPEOX: Oxaliplatin with capecitabine
- FOLFOX: 5-FU with oxaliplatin and leucovorin
- XELIRI/CAPIRI: Irinotecan with capecitabine
- 5-FU
- Capecitabine, which is an oral form of 5-FU
- 5-FU with leucovorin or Wellcovorin, which is a vitamin that boosts the effectiveness of 5-FU
Side Effects of Colorectal Cancer Medications
Chemotherapy is given to cancer patients in order to kill rapidly-dividing cancer cells. However, in this process, it also kills other rapidly-dividing healthy cells as well; in the case of colorectal cancer, it may kill the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, the membranes lining the mouth, and the bone marrow. These result in the following side effects:
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting and nausea
- Mouth sores
- Hair loss
- Diarrhea
- Rashes on the feet and hands
If the side effects become severe, the doctor may postpone the treatment session or lower the dose of the drug. If you are looking for colorectal cancer medications, consult a doctor first.
Featured Image: depositphotos/belchonock