What Is Systemic Chemotherapy?

 Chemotherapy medications that circulate throughout your body are known as systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy of this kind might be administered orally or intravenously.
 
Chemotherapy, also known as "chemo," is a form of cancer treatment in which medications are used to inhibit or halt the growth of cancer cells. These cells pass away when they are unable to divide and develop properly.
 
Chemotherapy comes in a variety of forms. Some chemotherapy treatments have a systemic effect on your entire body, while others have a local or regional effect on a smaller area.
 
We'll go through the basics of systemic chemotherapy and its operation below.
 
 

What does systemic chemotherapy mean?

 A medicine that is administered systemically circulates throughout your body via your bloodstream. As a result, systemic chemotherapy affects both cancer cells within the primary tumour and cancer cells that have metastatically spread (spread outside the primary tumour).
 
Typically, systemic chemotherapy is pumped into a vein to be administered directly into the bloodstream. Intravenous (IV) administration denotes this.
 
Many patients who require IV chemotherapy receive their treatments through ports. A port is a tiny gadget inserted beneath your skin. A tube connects it to a sizable vein. A port eliminates the requirement for a needle puncture during each chemotherapy treatment.
 
Systemic chemotherapy may also be administered orally in the form of a capsule or tablet. The chemotherapy medications are absorbed in your stomach before moving into your bloodstream and subsequently throughout your body.
 
 

Systemic chemotherapy targets the body's rapidly proliferating cells.

 Compared to many other types of cells, cancer cells frequently expand and divide more quickly. Chemotherapy medications are administered systemically, where they seek out and kill rapidly proliferating cancer cells all across your body.
 
 
However, some other types of cells in your body, such as particular blood cells, also duplicate more quickly. As a result, some healthy cells that aren't cancerous may be destroyed by chemotherapy medications. When compared to the negative effects of chemotherapy that target a single area of your body, these side effects may affect your entire body and be more severe.
 

What distinguishes regional chemotherapy from systemic chemotherapy?

Regional chemotherapy primarily affects cancer cells in the targeted areas, as opposed to systemic chemotherapy, which can harm cancer cells throughout the body.
 
Chemotherapy administered locally or regionally can still harm cancer cells. However, localized chemo may result in fewer total adverse effects than systemic chemo.
 
Examples of various regional or local chemotherapy treatments and their applications include:
  • Intra-arterial chemotherapy: In this procedure, chemotherapy medications are injected directly into an artery that supplies the tumour with blood. Liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and retinoblastoma are a few cancers it may be used for.
  • Intrathecal chemotherapy: Because many chemotherapy medications that are administered systemically are unable to cross the protective blood-brain barrier, intrathecal chemotherapy can be used to treat tumours of the brain or spinal cord. Your cerebrospinal fluid is directly injected with this kind of chemotherapy.
  • Intracavity chemotherapy: Intracavity chemotherapy entails injecting chemotherapy medications into a particular bodily cavity, such as:
  • Intravesical chemotherapy: With intravesical chemotherapy, a catheter is used to administer the medication directly into the bladder, treating bladder cancer.
  • Cancers of the colon, rectum, stomach, and ovaries can all be treated with intraperitoneal chemotherapy, which is administered directly into the abdominal cavity.
  • Lung cancer patients may benefit from intrapleural chemotherapy, which is administered into the pleural area surrounding the lungs.
  • Intralesional chemotherapy: Intralesional chemotherapy includes injecting chemotherapy medications right into a tumour. It could be applied to treat Kaposi sarcoma or skin cancer.
  • Topical chemotherapy: Topical chemotherapy involves applying chemotherapy medications directly to the skin. Skin cancer patients frequently receive this kind of chemotherapy.
 

How does systemic chemotherapy work?

 Cycles of systemic chemotherapy are normal. A cycle is a time when you get chemotherapy, followed by a break. Your body's healthy cells can recuperate from the effects of chemotherapy during the interval of rest.
 
A week of chemotherapy followed by three weeks off from work would be an example of a cycle. You would begin a new cycle following the rest period. Your specific treatment plan will determine how many chemotherapy cycles you require.
 
Using systemic chemotherapy, one can:
  • the removal of malignant tumours and the remission of cancer
  • alleviate cancer-related discomfort and stop the cancer from returning or spreading more quickly.
 
It is also possible to combine systemic chemotherapy with other cancer therapies. Several instances include:
  • surgery
  • radiation therapy
  • hormone therapy
  • targeted drug therapy
  • immunotherapy
 

The bottom line

During systemic chemotherapy, cancer cells are targeted both at the initial site and in other parts of the body. It is usually administered orally or through an IV line.
 
Chemotherapy is sometimes administered locally or regionally. This indicates that they are limited in where they act.
 
Discuss your expectations with your care team if systemic chemo is a component of your cancer therapy. They can inform you of the details of your chemotherapy, including how many cycles are anticipated, the location, and any potential side effects.