Leukeran – Cancer Treatment Drug
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.