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Cytoxan and its use against cancer

Cytoxan is a chemotherapy medication, from the oxazophorine group and if you wish to go technical it is a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent. What this means, in plain English is that Cytoxan is converted in the liver and metabolized into phosphoramide mustard which is then transported to cancer cells in which it forms DNA crosslinks which inhibits or at least slows the cancer cells from growing. By doing so, it is efficient in treating many different types of cancer, some types of leukemia and even some solid tumors. Cytoxan can also decrease body’s immune system response and because of this, Cytoxan can also be employed in treating such autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus which causes severe lupus nephritis. Other autoimmune diseases that Cytoxan can help treat are severe rheumatoid arthritis, minimal change disease and Wegener’s granulomatosis. However, it is still primarily used in treating various types of cancer.

Proper use of Cytoxan

Like all anti-cancer drugs, Cytoxan can have some serious side effects on the health of the patient and it is therefore of utmost importance that you conduct your Cytoxan treatment in close consultations with your health care provider. For example, before you even start taking Cytoxan, you need to have a talk with your doctor during which you will share details about your medical history. If you are allergic to Cytoxan or to any other chemotherapy medications such as chlorambucil and busulfan, you will need to tell this to your doctor who will then decide if the benefits outweigh potential side effects. There are other medical conditions that might also be affected by the Cytoxan treatment, such as decreased bone marrow function (as Cytoxan and its metabolite have an effect on the cells in the bone marrow), liver or kidney disease or if you have had your adrenal glands surgically removed. Once your treatment with Cytoxan begins, you also need to take special precaution to avoid any serious side effects of Cytoxan. However, Cytoxan is known for fewer serious side effects than other chemotherapy medications and most people in fact do not experience any side effects of Cytoxan that can be characterized as serious. Hair loss is possible, but the hair is expected to grow back shortly after the treatment has finished or even during the treatment. Vomiting and nausea are common and in some cases the patient might need to take medication to prevent or at least ease these side effects. It is also very important that you take your Cytoxan regularly as this ensures the most beneficial treatment.  You need to talk to your health care provider about any other side effects that you might experience. They will also tell you about any possible interactions with other medications that might adversely affect your health.
If you observe all of these measures of precaution and if you take your Cytoxan in accordance to the prescription given to you by your health care provider, you should experience a beneficial Cytoxan treatment that will help greatly in your battle with cancer.

Nolvadex – a weapon against breast cancer

It has been established that breast cancer is responsible for more than 13% of all deaths in women when it comes to different types of cancer. It is therefore a condition that needs to be battled against with all means necessary. Of course, the best way to treat breast cancer is to prevent it by regular checkups that can even be done at home, by checking the breast tissue for any unusual lumps or growths. The good news is that if breast cancer is noticed in the early stages, the survival rate is very high. In some cases, surgery is required, but in the majority of cases, the medications will do the trick. One of the drugs most commonly used in treating breast cancer is Nolvadex, a drug that is metabolized into hydroxytamoxifen which prevents the action of estrogen that is most commonly responsible for the growth of breast cancer. The way in which Nolvadex works could be best described as a broken key. Namely, this medication, or more precisely, its metabolite binds to the estrogen receptors in cancer cells, thus preventing anything else (estrogen) from binding to the receptors. This way, Nolvadex prevents the growth of cancer and helps in treating it. Due to its effect on estrogen receptors, there are other uses for Nolvadex, such as in treating infertility in female patients who are suffering from anovulatory disorders. Another condition that can be treated by Nolvadex is gynecomastia, as well as a rare condition known as retroperitoneal fibrosis. Some other properties of Nolvadex make it a useful tool in treating manic episodes in patients suffering from bipolar disorder and it is also being tried for preventing angiogenesis.

Best way to approach a Nolvadex treatment

The best way to approach your Nolvadex treatment would be to do exactly as your doctor prescribed, when it comes to your dosage, the schedule and the duration of your treatment. However, before you even start taking Nolvadex, you need to talk to your healthcare provider about your medical history. For example, history of blood clots in the lungs or veins, as well as use of blood thinners like warfarin will prevent you from using Nolvadex as the potential dangers outweigh the benefits. In addition, you need to tell your doctor if you are suffering from any of the following: liver disease, history of cataract, high triglycerides or cholesterol or if you are receiving any chemotherapy or radiation. In these cases, your doctor will need to run additional tests to make sure that your health is not going to be compromised. Nolvadex is also very harmful for the fetus and it should not be used by pregnant women. In fact, women should take all the precautions not to become pregnant while taking Nolvadex, especially because of the fact that hormonal contraception methods are less effective when taking Nolvadex. Furthermore, your doctor will most likely want to check your progress with mammograms and they might also want to check your liver regularly to see if Nolvadex is working well and that it is not compromising the functioning of your liver.

Treating cancer with Leukeran

Almost all of us have encountered cancer in our lives. Some of us may have lost someone close to cancer while some may even wage an ongoing battle with this modern plague at this very moment. Every help that we can get in our battle with cancer is more than welcome and Leukeran is a medication that can be of much help. Leukeran is a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent, which means that this chemotherapy drug is metabolized in the liver into the nitrogen mustard which is then transported through the body to the cancer cells where it does its job. It affects the very DNA and RNA of cancer cells and thus slows their growth and prevents the cancer from spreading. It also has an effect on the bone marrow cells, which makes Leukeran useful in treating certain autoimmune diseases as well, like for example nephritic syndrome. Leukeran can be used for treating various types of cancers, such as ovarian carcinoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, polycythemia vera, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia and trophoblastic neoplasms. However, it is mainly used in treating chronic lymphatic leukemia and it is one of the most prescribed drugs for this purpose. There is one very good reason for this and that is the fact that most patients tolerate Leukeran very well and it does not cause serious side effects in the large majority of patients.

Using Leukeran to achieve best results

Leukeran is a very potent medication, as are all other chemotherapy drugs and you must never decide on your own about any changes to your dosage or the duration of your treatment. In fact, all the decisions should be left to your doctor who will know best what the best course of action is. For example, you might not even be able to take Leukeran, if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Leukeran, or if you are pregnant and in your first trimester. Leukeran can cause serious birth defects and this is the reason why it is not used in pregnant women. You also need to inform your doctor about any other medical conditions that you have suffered from or that you are suffering from at the moment, especially if they include bone marrow depression, any infection, porphyria, kidney or liver diseases or if you have a history of head trauma or seizures. Once your Leukeran regimen starts, you need to follow the instructions given to you by your physician as closely as possible. This means that you must not skip any doses and that you should only take as much Leukeran as prescribed. As with all other chemotherapy drugs, there is always possibility that you are going to experience certain side effects, such as hair loss, certain gastrointestinal problems like nausea and vomiting; as well as compromised immune system. However, all of these side effects are reversible and there is even possibility that you are not going to experience them at all.