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Preventive Chemotherapy: A Step Toward Stopping Cancer Early
By Raveena M Prakash
When people hear about chemotherapy, they might think of getting cancer treatment. There's another lesser-known concept called ‘preventive chemotherapy,’ also known as chemoprevention. This process involves treating cancer before it develops; this approach lowers the risk of cancer before it even develops as serious and complex or prevents it from returning after the cancer treatment.
Preventive chemotherapy won’t replace any healthy lifestyle habits or regular cancer screenings, but it can play an important role for people at higher risk.
What is Preventive Chemotherapy?
Preventive chemotherapy usually refers to the use of certain medications to minimize the risk of cancer developing or recurring in people who can face an increased risk. These chemoprevention drugs works by:
- Blocking processes that encourage cancer cell growth
- Slowing down or reversing precancerous changes
- Helps to reduce inflammation and infection that can trigger cancer
- Targeting hormones or chemicals that increase the growth of certain cancers
Unlike standard chemotherapy treatments, which are strong and given intravenously, chemopreventive drugs are usually taken orally and at much lower doses. These treatments aim to protect rather than offer aggressive treatments to patients.
Who Needs to Get Preventive Chemotherapy?
Preventive chemotherapy is designed to target high-risk individuals with certain types of infectious diseases, often in areas where these types of conditions are largely present. For example, children, pregnant women, and communities in tropical or low-income regions are typically prioritized for preventive treatment.
While chemoprevention is not suitable for everyone. These treatments are more suitable for patients with:
1. Higher genetic risk or genetic conditions
For example: BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations
Strong family history of breast or colorectal cancer
2. A medical history of precancerous conditions
For example: Colon polyps.
There are some precancerous breast changes, including (eg: atypical hyperplasia)
3. Previous Cancer Treatment
Some medications can help prevent cancer recurrence in cancer that are known to come back easily.
4. Chronic inflammation or existing medical conditions
For example: Long-term inflammatory bowel disease, which increases the cancer risk
An oncologist often determines whether these treatment approaches are appropriate based on risk factors, genetic testing, and overall health conditions.
Common types or preventive chemotherapy
Different types of cancers require different treatment approaches. Here are some of the widely acknowledged categories used in cancer risk reduction.
- Hormonal changes
Hormones like estrogen can fuel certain types of cancers. There are medicines that block or regulate hormones that may reduce the risk in people with cancer.
These are often used for:
- Breast cancer
- Endometrial cancer
Some examples include receptor modulators (SERMs), Aromatase inhibitors, both of these indicators might help lowering the risk of likelihood of developing hormone-sensitive cancers.
- Anti-inflammatory medications
Chronic inflammation can create an environment where cancer can grow. Certain anti-inflammatory drugs have shown some protective benefits for specific cancers when used appropriately under medical guidance.
It's often used for Colorectal cancer
- Antiviral and Antiparasitic drugs
There are some types of cancers that are usually linked to several infections, treating the underlying infection which reduces the cancer risk.
Examples: Medications used to treat hepatitis B or C (usually related to cancer risk)
There are many drugs that are used to target parasites which increase the bladder or liver cancer risk. These are not ‘chemotherapy drugs’ in the traditional sense, but they have a preventive effect in cancer development.
Benefits of preventive chemotherapy
Preventive chemotherapy is a proactive approach in public health that aims to reduce the risk of cancer by administering medications to people at risk, even before the symptoms appear. This strategy appears to be effective in controlling the spread of infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, etc.
Here are some of the benefits of chemoprevention, including:
Reduces the risk of cancer development
For high-risk groups of people, these treatment approaches can lower the chance that the cancer will develop.
Helps prevent recurrence
After completing the treatments successfully, preventive chemotherapy can act as a protective layer in patients, which helps to prevent the risk of recurrence.
Targeted early biological changes
Performing these preventive treatments help to address problems long before they become cancerous and serious.
Completes other prevention strategies
These treatments help to complement other prevention strategies such as shifting into healthy lifestyle changes, vaccines and regular screening practices.
What are the challenges
Preventive chemotherapy is not a magical treatment; meanwhile, it requires meaningful treatment assessment.
- Because these medications have side effects and challenges
- Not all preventive chemotherapy drugs work for everyone.
- These benefits might outweigh the challenges.
- Some of these drugs might require long-term use for effectiveness.
An oncologist never recommends preventive chemotherapy without weighing down these factors before recommending it to their patients.
Consult Today
Preventive chemotherapy is a powerful treatment used in cancer care. These treatments are not suitable for all. But it offers meaningful protection for people at higher risk and complements other preventive measures like healthy living, regular screenings, and cancer vaccines. These treatments do not replace healthy lifestyle habits or regular cancer screenings, but they can play a major role for individuals with a higher risk of developing cancer or Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
As cancer research continues, we may see more advanced cancer medicines designed to stop cancer at its earliest stages. This brings us closer to where few people get cancer diagnoses.
At Oncare, we offer premium-quality cancer treatments, including advanced cancer surgeries, at an affordable price range with an experienced cancer specialist consultation.
If you or any loved ones of yours are diagnosed with Oncare Cancer Center and book an appointment with our cancer specialist today! Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatment today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment. Chemo is one of the several cancer treatments that use drugs against various types of cancers.
Ans: Your oncologist might use chemotherapy in different ways, including:
- Adjuvant therapy
- Curative therapy
- Neoadjuvant therapy
- Palliative therapy
Ans: chemotherapy can treat wide ranges of cancers, including:
- Primary cancer
- Metastatic cancer
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