chemoterapie

Chemoterapie, or chemotherapy, is the use of cytotoxic drugs to treat diseases, most notably cancer. These medicines kill rapidly dividing cells by interfering with DNA replication or cell division, slowing or stopping tumor growth. Because healthy tissues such as bone marrow, the lining of the gut, and hair follicles also divide rapidly, chemotherapy often causes side effects in these organs.

Historically developed in the mid-20th century, chemotherapy is now used alone or in combinations and can be given systemically (intravenous or oral) or regionally (intraperitoneal, intrathecal) depending on cancer type. Drug classes include alkylating agents, antimetabolites, cytotoxic antibiotics, and natural products such as taxanes and vinca alkaloids. Treatments are often delivered in cycles with rest periods to allow recovery. Regimens may be neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or palliative.

Common side effects include bone marrow suppression, fatigue, nausea, mouth sores, hair loss, numbness or tingling, and organ toxicity (kidney, heart). Supportive care with antiemetics, growth factors, dose adjustments, and careful monitoring reduces toxicity. Fertility and the risk of secondary cancers are important considerations in long-term therapy.

Ongoing advances aim to increase precision, minimize harm, and combine cytotoxic chemotherapy with targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Dosing often relies on body size and patient factors, while pharmacogenomic insights continue to refine treatment choices.