What is CHOP Chemotherapy
By: MarkLuisTotal Views: 682, Word Count: 512,
CHOP chemotherapy is chemotherapy treatment used for treating some types of cancer such as Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. CHOP is abbreviated name for the drugs that are used in CHOP chemotherapy for treating cancer. These drugs are as follows.
- Cyclophosphamide (cytoxan, neosar)
- Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Adriamycin)
- Oncovin (vincristine)
- Prednisone (deltasone/ orasone)
Sometime, drug called Rituxan is used along with above combination of drug to enhance the result of treatment. This chemotherapy often called R-CHOP or CHOP-R chemotherapy.
Before starting CHOP chemotherapy, there are some points that one should look in.
Read all information regarding the drugs that are going to be used during the treatment
Discuss all the aspects of the treatment thoroughly with your doctor
You should tell certain condition such history of heart problem, smoking, if you are pregnant and other to your doctor before start of the treatment.
Also discuss your major medical problem or family history regarding disease with your doctor.
As CHOP chemotherapy causes fertility problem, discuss option such sperm banking or embryo freezing with your doctor or medical team.
CHOP chemotherapy treatment is applied in cycles. Cycle repeats after 3 or 4 weeks. Normally, CHOP chemotherapy treatment constitutes of six cycles. It means that treatment longs for 18 to 24 weeks. However, no of cycles are prescribed by medical team and can differ from patient to patient depending on situation. CHOP chemotherapy treatment is carried out in OPD (out patient department) of hospital.
Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride and Oncovin are administered through injections while Prednisone is available in table form which is taken orally. Along with drugs, Zofran or Kytril drugs are often given to minimize side effects such as nausea.
CHOP chemotherapy drugs can cause side effects. Side effects that are caused during treatment include nausea, vomiting and loss of memory. Drugs such as Zofran or Kytril are useful to lessen nausea related to chemotherapy. Fatigue is also observed commonly during chemotherapy treatment.
Other side effects that are caused during treatment are low white blood cell count, tiredness, breathing problem, sore eyes, blood clotting, heart damage, platelets and hair fall. Neupogen drug is helpful to raise white blood cell count. Sometime, blood transfusion is also required.
Fertility can be affected by CHOP chemotherapy treatment in both men and women. You should discuss about fertility with your doctor before commencing chemotherapy treatment. During chemotherapy treatment, you should not pregnant as drugs used in treatment may be dangerous for growing baby.
CHOP chemotherapy treatment can affect ovaries in woman which may result in irregular period or even stop it completely. In younger women, this condition is temporary while in older women it may be permanent.
Some medicines are harmful for you, if taken while you are seeking chemotherapy treatment. You must consult with your doctor if you are taking any such medicine including herbal medicine or non prescribed drugs.
Each person reacts to chemotherapy treatment differently. So, it is important to analyze patient’s condition before chemotherapy treatment.
About the Author
Mark Luis is a medical writer specializing in cancer and chemotherapy. He runs few cancer and chemotherapy relates sites like and cancer symptoms.
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