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Posted by Specialist Doctor II Bui Le Phuoc Thu Thao - Radiation Therapist - Oncology Center - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. The doctor has nearly 15 years of experience in direct treatment of cancer patients, especially radiation oncology and care for terminal cancer patients, palliative care and pain relief.Cancer treatment has many different methods such as: surgery, radiotherapy (local and regional treatment) and systemic treatment (chemotherapy, hormone therapy)... So the combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy How effective is the treatment?
1. What is radiation and chemotherapy?
Radiation therapy is treatment with high-energy ionizing radiation to destroy cancer cells. With the rapid progress of science and technology, advanced technology radiotherapy equipment has been born and is being widely applied, radiation therapy has become one of the main methods for cancer treatment today. . Cancer chemotherapy is one of the systemic cancer treatment measures, understood as a method of cancer treatment with cytotoxic drugs. .2. How effective is radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy?
The mainstays of cancer treatment are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In addition, new weapons in cancer treatment, even recently applied, also show very promising results such as targeted therapy or immunotherapy.The combination of weapons when treating brings many benefits, increasing the ability to control cancer. For example, combining chemotherapy with surgery or radiation has significantly improved outcomes for many types of cancer. Chemotherapy can be given before surgery, helping to reduce tumor volume favorable for surgery, increasing the possibility of conservative treatment, or chemotherapy after surgery to reduce the rate of local recurrence as well as reduce the rate of cancer. distant metastasis after treatment.
Combination of chemotherapy with radiotherapy also produces similar results. Chemotherapy can be performed before radiation therapy, causing tumor response, shrinking the tumor, convenient for subsequent radiation therapy. Or performed concurrently with radiation therapy, which helps to increase the radiation sensitivity of the tumor, and at the same time control the micro-metastasis, reducing the risk of distant metastasis after treatment. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are concurrently indicated for adjuvant treatment after surgery for some head and neck cancers and rectal cancers. When these two methods are combined, adjuvant treatment after surgery helps to increase local control, reduce recurrence rates and distant metastases.
The combination of chemotherapy and radiation for the first radical treatment of some cancers such as head and neck cancer, esophageal, rectal, and cervical cancer in many situations can help patients treat preserving the organ and its function, avoiding the destructive surgery that loses the organ and function.
When combining these two methods, the treatment effect is better, but of course, the treatment toxicity will be more or more severe. It is very important to weigh the benefits of chemotherapy-radiation regimens on disease control with the toxicity of this regimen to patients. The treating doctor will discuss in detail with the patient, to choose the most suitable regimen for each patient, with the diagnosis, with the stage of the disease.
3. Subjects and side effects of radiation therapy in combination with chemotherapy
Cancer patients can apply chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the same time as patients with head and neck cancer, some gastrointestinal cancers such as esophageal, rectal, gynecological cancers...Effects Side effects of radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy such as:
Skin and mucosal reactions: radiation therapy itself has caused quite a lot of side effects on the skin and mucous membranes, especially in cases of radiation therapy to the head. neck, upper gastrointestinal tract, this reaction occurs when the patient has received about 1⁄2 courses of radiation. When combined with chemotherapy, this treatment toxicity may be more severe and appear earlier and last longer. Common manifestations on the skin are red, tanned skin, dry scaling, or more severe peeling with secretions, spontaneous bleeding... Common manifestations on the mucosa are red mucous membranes, painful ulcers. , with pseudomembranous or bleeding on impact or spontaneous bleeding... Diarrhea often occurs when radiation is to the abdomen or pelvis. Inflammation of the urinary tract when irradiating the pelvis causes patients to urinate painfully, burning urine, urinary frequency... Effects on the hematopoietic system: this effect is mainly due to chemotherapy, because the chemical is cytotoxic. and bone marrow suppression. In addition to the above side effects, patients may also experience some late complications such as fibrosis and atrophy of soft tissues in the irradiated area. Other systemic manifestations may include fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting...
Hóa trị ung thư là một trong những phương pháp điều trị bệnh ung thư mang tính chất toàn thân
4. What are the advantages of concurrent chemoradiotherapy at Vinmec Central Park Hospital?
Bệnh nhân bị ung thư đầu cổ có thể áp dụng phương pháp xạ trị phối hợp đồng thời với hóa chất
5. What are the advantages of concurrent chemoradiotherapy at Vinmec Central Park Hospital?
Simultaneous radiation therapy with chemotherapy at Vinmec Central Park Hospital is performed by highly qualified and experienced doctors. Particularly, the Truebeam system of Vinmec Central Park Hospital is the most modern radiation machine in Southeast Asia, bringing a high rate of treatment success.In addition to combined radiation therapy with chemicals, Vinmec Central Park also has other applications. Other related uses include:
Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy IMRT Volume Modulated Radiation Therapy (VMAT). Conventional SRS and SRS cranial radiosurgery using Hyperarc technology; Radiosurgery using cone ICVI (Integrated Conical Collimator Verification & Interlock system). Localized radiosurgery of the SBRT body. Tumor location control Tumor location control on image by day of treatment (IGRT image-guided radiotherapy). Control tumor movement according to breathing during radiation (4D radiation therapy). Clinical application Radiation therapy for primary and metastatic brain cancer, single and multifocal
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