Chemotherapy in Türkiye

What is chemotherapy?

It is an aggressive form of chemotherapy with drugs that aims to destroy rapidly growing cells in the body. It is commonly used to treat cancer, as cancer cells grow and divide faster than other cells.

It is often used in combination with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation, or hormonal therapy.

This depends on:

• The stage and type of cancer in the patient
• The general health of the patient
• Previous cancer treatments received by the patient
• The location of the cancer cells
• The patient’s personal treatment preferences
• It is considered a systemic treatment, which means it affects the entire body.

While it has been shown to effectively attack cancer cells, it can cause serious side effects that can severely affect the sufferer’s quality of life.

These side effects must be considered against the risk of not receiving treatment when deciding whether chemotherapy is appropriate for your condition.

Why is chemotherapy used?

Primarily used for:

• Reducing the total number of cancer cells in the patient’s body
• Reducing the possibility of cancer spreading
• Reducing the size of the tumor
• Reduce symptoms

If a person has had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, such as a lumpectomy for breast cancer, their oncologist may recommend chemotherapy to ensure any remaining cancer cells are killed.

It is also used to prepare a patient for other treatments. It can be used to shrink a tumor so that it can be surgically removed, or to prepare a patient for radiation therapy. In the case of late-stage cancer, chemotherapy may help relieve pain.

Besides treating cancer, it may be used to prepare people with bone marrow diseases for bone marrow stem cell treatment, and it may be used to treat disorders of the immune system.

Much lower doses than those used to treat cancer can be used to help disorders in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells, such as lupus (a skin disease) or rheumatoid arthritis .

Side effects of chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is designed to kill rapidly dividing cells. Cancer cells are these types of cells, and there are other cells in the body that divide rapidly as well. These cells can be negatively affected by chemotherapy and are located in the following places:

• the blood
• the hair
• skin
• lining of the intestinal tract

Side effects of chemotherapy include:

• Easy bruising and excessive bleeding
• Diarrhea
• dry mouth
• mouth ulcers
• fatigue
• Fever
• hair loss
• Anorexia
• nausea
• vomiting
• Weight loss
• Pain from nerve damage
• infections
• Anemia
• holding
• Neuropathy
• Lymphedema
• memory problems
• Concentration problems
• skin changes
• nail changes
• Insomnia
• sexual changes
• Fertility changes

A doctor can help manage these side effects with medications and lifestyle advice.

Most side effects of chemotherapy stop when treatment ends.

But there is a risk of long-term effects that may appear even years after treatment, depending on the type used.

These effects can include damage to:

• the heart
• kidneys
• the lungs
• nerves
• genitals

Steps for chemotherapy

Because chemotherapy is a serious treatment for a serious condition, it’s important to plan ahead before treatment begins.

It will help the doctor and hospital staff anticipate potential problems associated with treatment.

Before a patient begins treatment, they will undergo a series of tests to help determine if they are healthy enough for chemotherapy. This will include heart scans and blood tests to determine the health of their liver .

These tests can also help guide the doctor to decide what types of treatment to use to treat the patient.

The doctor may also recommend that you visit your dentist before starting treatment. Since chemotherapy affects the body’s ability to heal, any infection in the gums or teeth is likely to spread throughout the body.

The doctor may install a port if the patient is receiving chemotherapy through an intravenous (IV) line.

The port is a device that is implanted in the patient’s body, usually in the chest near the shoulder. This allows easier access to the veins and is less painful. During each treatment, an intravenous solution will be inserted into the patient’s port.

How is chemotherapy performed?

The patient and the doctor can work together to consider all the possibilities available and to determine the best course of treatment.

Chemotherapy is usually given in pill form or directly into the veins by injection or IV.

In addition to these two forms, it can also be given in several other ways.

Delivery options include:

• Delivering chemotherapy directly to the tumor. Depending on where the tumor is, if the patient has surgery to remove the tumor, the doctor can implant slow-dissolving tablets that release the drugs over time.
• Treating some skin cancers with chemotherapy creams.
• The delivery of chemotherapy to a specific part of the body through local treatment, so it is placed directly in the abdomen, chest, central nervous system, or into the bladder through the urethra.
• Take some types of chemotherapy by mouth with pills.
• There is also the possibility of giving liquid chemotherapy drugs in a single dose, or a port can be installed where a needle is inserted for each treatment. The method of treatment using the port involves pain at the injection site during the first visit only, but the port needle can wear off according to the level of activity of the patient.

The place to receive treatment depends on the delivery method chosen by the patient.

For example, if the patient is using creams or pills, they can treat themselves at home, and other procedures are usually done in a hospital or cancer treatment center.

The schedule will be customized for the patient with how often he should receive treatment, and it can be changed if the body does not respond well to treatment, or it can be increased or decreased depending on how well the cancer cells respond to the treatment.

What after chemotherapy

Your doctor and cancer treatment team will regularly monitor the effectiveness of your treatment, and this will include imaging techniques, blood tests, and possibly more. A doctor can modify the treatment plan at any time.

The more the patient shares with his doctor information about the effect of chemotherapy on him, the better the treatment experience.

By telling him about any side effects or problems related to the treatment that the patient is facing so that the doctor can make adjustments to the treatment if necessary.

How can I book for chemotherapy in Türkiye?

• Free medical support on the phone: You will have a dedicated representative for your health condition who is always ready to answer your questions.
• Free consultation with a specialist doctor: Your medical representative will consult with a number of doctors and hospitals to find the best possible treatments.
• Free travel visa arrangement: We will contact the embassy in your country to assist you in obtaining a visa to visit Türkiye.
• Free itinerary planning: We will create a schedule for your medical trip to Türkiye.
• Free translation of documents and reports: We will translate medical documents and reports into Turkish on your behalf.
• Free support and monitoring: We will monitor the stages of treatment and be by your side every step of the way.
• Free instant translation: We will be with you during the treatment stages to provide translation between you and the medical team.
• Free accommodation and transportation coordination: We will book accommodation for you and your companions in Türkiye, along with transportation services.

Contact REHABTÜRK doctors for more information about the procedure and to evaluate your medical condition.

Request a Free Consultation.