Chemotherapy for Bladder Cancer
by
Michael Jubinville, MPH Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs enter the bloodstream and travel through the body. It may be used:
Chemotherapy Drugs and DeliveryThere are many kinds of chemotherapy drugs. The drugs and how they are used will depend on the type of cancer. Bladder cancer may be treated with:
Chemotherapy is most often given through an IV. It's done in cycles over a set period. A liquid agent may also be placed right into the bladder. The agent will alert the immune system to attack the cancer. Side Effects and ManagementChemotherapy causes a range of health problems. The most common are:
There are many ways to manage these problems. Medicines and lifestyle changes are the most common. In some cases, the cycles may be changed to lower the chances of serious problems. Talk to your healthcare team as soon as these appear so they can be better controlled.
References:
Bladder cancer. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at:
http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115106/Bladder-cancer
. Updated June 26, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018.
Bladder cancer. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/genitourinary-disorders/genitourinary-cancer/bladder-cancer. Updated October 2017. Accessed August 2, 2018. Chemotherapy for bladder cancer. American Cancer Society website. Available at:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/treating/chemotherapy.html. Updated May 23, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018. Treatment option overview. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: https://www.cancer.gov/types/bladder/patient/bladder-treatment-pdq. Updated May 3, 2018. Accessed August 2, 2018. Last reviewed May 2018 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Mohei Abouzied, MD, FACP Last Updated: 8/2/2018 | ||
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