Yes, we said it. Because now we can.  Here's why.

 

One of the major issues surrounding standard chemotherapy is the side effects.

Chemotherapy by its very nature is considered to be toxic to active cancer cells and works by preventing their growth or killing them. These cancer cells are active cells but the cells surrounding them are although healthy also active. It is often a fine balance to target and differentiate the cancer cells from the healthy active cells. These healthy cells can therefore be damaged by the chemotherapy causing the symptoms we see as side effects. These include cells in your blood, mouth, digestive system, and hair follicles.

Although we are better now at recognizing and treating these side effects the ‘holy grail’ of cancer research is to discover chemotherapy agents that are toxic to the cancer cells while protecting the other healthy active cells and so reducing or eliminating unpleasant side effects.

Common side effects:

There is a vast array of different chemotherapy drugs targeting widely different forms of cancer. Each person’s experience of side effects is different and will depend not only upon the individual but also the target of the chemotherapy agent, the dose and the length of the treatment. It is however possible to list the more common side effects experienced with commonly used agent:

Fatigue: This is the most common side effect of chemotherapy.

Pain: Chemotherapy sometimes causes pain. This can include:

•  Headaches

•  Muscle pain

•  Stomach pain

•  Pain from nerve damage

Hair loss: Probably the best known side effect. Some types of chemotherapy cause hair loss. It may come out a little at a time or in large clumps.

Mouth and throat sores: Chemotherapy can damage the cells inside the mouth and throat. This causes painful sores in these areas making it difficult to eat.

Diarrhea: Some chemotherapy causes loose or watery bowel movements leading to weight loss.

Nausea and vomiting: Chemotherapy can cause nausea and vomiting  making it difficult to eat and leading to weight loss.

Constipation: This means not having a bowel movement often enough or having difficult bowel movements which can be uncomfortable.

Blood disorders: Due to some chemotherapies effect on bone marrow they may cause side effects from having too few blood cells.

  • Not enough RBCs causes a condition called anemia. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
  • Not enough WBCs causes a condition called leukopenia. This raises your risk of getting infections.
  • Not enough Platelets the cells that stop bleeding. Not having enough platelets causes a condition called thrombocytopenia. You can bleed and bruise more easily than normal.

Nervous system effects: Some drugs cause nerve damage. This can cause the following nerve or muscle symptoms:

  • Tingling
  • Burning
  • Weakness or numbness in the hands, feet, or both
  • Weak, sore, tired, or achy muscles
  • Loss of balance
  • Shaking or trembling
  • Stiff neck
  • Problems with sight or hearing
  • Difficulty walking

Changes in thinking and memory. Certain chemotherapy agents can cause memory loss or difficulty thinking clearly. Usually short term but can last longer.

Sexual and reproductive issues. Chemotherapy can affect your fertility.

Appetite loss. Due to the other side effects discussed some agents can cause a lack of ability or desire to eat leading to weight loss You may also lose muscle mass and strength.

Long-term side effects. Most side effects go away after treatment. But some continue, come back, or develop later..

Nervous system changes can develop after treatment. Children who had chemotherapy may develop side effects that happen months or years after treatment.

Now, there's an alternative. Hello Chemo.

Can we target cancer cells without causing damage to the other vital cells? Research concentrates on two possible mechanisms to achieve this:

The first is the so-called ‘silver bullet’ where the agent is delivered in a targeted manner directly to the cancer cells avoiding the healthy active cells. It is very difficult in this method to ensure that no other cells are affected.

The other method is to look for agents that recognize the difference between abnormal (cancer) cells and normal (healthy) cells. In this way only the cancer cells are targeted leaving the other cells unharmed and so reducing or eliminating the side effects usually seen from chemotherapy agents.

Liquid Trimarin

This chemotherapy agent is a combination of three drugs that are all known to have very low toxicity against normal active cells and therefore very low side effects. When combined the research has shown that the three agents combine to effectively target glioma without an increase in toxicity against normal healthy cells. It is therefore hoped that this unique agent will be able to be highly effective against brain cancer without the side effects normally associated with standard chemotherapy treatments.