Medicina: Oncoematologia pediatrica: Leucemia linfoblastica acuta
| English |
| chemotherapy |
  |
|
| Attestation |
3
|
| Definition |
Chemotherapy refers to drugs that are used to kill microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi) and cancer cells. Most commonly the term is used to refer to "cancer-fighting" drugs. Chemotherapy, as it refers to cancer treatment, is a generic term and includes many different drugs with a wide variety and severity of side effects . Generalizations regarding specific side effects and toxicities are difficult to make. Cancer chemotherapy kills or arrests the growth of cancer cells by targeting specific parts of the cell growth cycle. However, normal healthy cells share some of these pathways and thus are also injured or killed by chemotherapy. This is what causes most side effects from chemotherapy. Chemotherapy usually targets rapidly dividing cells. Some normal cells -- including blood cells, hair, and cells lining the gastroinestinal tract -- are also rapidly dividing and thus these are the normal cells most likely to be damaged causing hair loss and nausea , which are usually temporary and reversible.
The use of chemicals (drugs or medications) to kill malignant cells. Numerous chemicals have been developed for this purpose, and most act to injure the DNA of the cells. When the DNA is injured, the cells cannot grow or survive. Successful chemotherapy depends on the fact that malignant cells are somewhat more sensitive to the chemicals than normal cells. Because the cells of the marrow, the intestinal tract, the skin, and hair follicles are most sensitive to these chemicals, injury to these organs cause the common side effects of chemotherapy, i.e., mouth sores, and hair loss.
|
| Definition source |
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002324.htmtop; http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/lrf-/diseases/index.htm
http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_glossary.adp
|
| Context |
Analysis of results from a large number of patients demonstrate that allogeneic sibling transplant gives results that are superior to chemotherapy. In contrast, autologous transplantation in children with ALL gave results that are, in most cases, inferior to sibling transplants but provided alternatives to chemotherapy, especially in children who relapse following primary chemotherapy. In contrast to standard risk ALL, Philadelphia-chromosome positive ALL continues to have a very poor response to chemotherapy.
|
| Context source |
en02
|
| Subject field |
Pediatric Oncohematology
|
| Specific concept |
intrathecal chemotherapy, combination chemotherapy
|
| de |
Chemotherapie
|
| it |
chemioterapia
|
| Reliability code |
3
|
|
