Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer Patients

Chemotherapy is a type of treatment that involves the use of drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells.  Some chemotherapy drugs can be given orally (by taking a pill), while others are given intravenously through an IV in the arm or through a special catheter in the chest.  Chemotherapy drugs work by affecting a tumor's DNA, or they attack special areas of the tumor (a form of treatment known as targeted therapy). Chemotherapy drugs can attack tumor cells that exist in the lung only, or they can attack tumor cells that exist in distant places in the body.

Commonly used chemotherapy agents for lung cancer include the following:  Cisplatin® (Platinol), Carboplatin® (Paraplatin), Taxol® (Paclitaxel), Taxotere® (Docetaxel), Gemzar® (Gemcitabine), Navelbine® (Vinorelbine), VP-16® (Etoposide), and Avastin® (Bevacizumab).

Side Effects Common side effects include the following:  nausea, vomiting, hair loss, skin rash, diarrhea, fatigue, brittle nails, numbness of the fingers and toes, and low blood counts that might lead to infection or the need for a transfusion of blood products. Chemotherapy treatments are usually given in a clinic once a week or they may be given every couple of weeks. Depending upon the type of chemotherapy, a patient's time in the clinic may vary from as short as thirty minutes to several hours.  Most of the side effects do not occur immediately, but they may occur hours or days after the chemotherapy is administered.