Chemotherapy or drug treatment of cancer

Chemotherapy in general:

1. Chemotherapy and You, what to expect during chemotherapy National Cancer Institute

Breast Cancer Chemotherapy:

1. Preventive or adjuvant chemotherapy helps control cancers with undetectable spread beyond the breast and underarm lymph glands. Adjuvant chemotherapy is used for breast cancers 1 cm (about 3/8 inch) or larger and for breast cancers smaller than 1 cm which have spread to the underarm lymph glands.
   1. Adjuvant Online helps health professionals and patients with early cancer discuss the risks and benefits of getting additional therapy (adjuvant therapy: usually chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or both) after surgery.
   2. Adjuvant Chemotherapy by Kevin Murphy, MD, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada medical oncologist
   3. Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer National Institutes of Health
2. Chemotherapy for breast cancer with detectable metastatic (by Chest X-ray, plain X-rays, CAT scan or nuclear medicine scan) spread beyond the breast and underarm lymph glands: A fairly technical article Can Metastatic Breast Cancer Be Cured or Controlled by Chemotherapy? by University of South Florida H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida's Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, MD

Cancer drugs:

1. Cancer drug guides:
1. Cancer Drug Manual from the British Columbia, Canada Cancer Agency
2. Purchase the American Cancer Society Consumers' Guide to Cancer Drugs, which describes over 200 cancer drugs in easy to understand language

Breast cancer chemotherapy drugs:

1. Adriamycin® (doxorubicin) CancerBACUP
2. Epirubicin (Ellence®)
1. Epirubicin (Ellence®) about.com
2. Epirubicin (Ellence®) CancerBACUP
3. Epirubicin (Ellence®) Micromedex USP DI®
4. Epirubicin (Ellence®) RxList
3. Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide)
1. Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide) Micromedex USP DI®
2. Cytoxan® (cyclophosphamide) RxList
4. Fluorouracil (5-FU, 5-fluorouracil)
1. Fluorouracil (5-FU, 5-fluorouracil) Micromedex USP DI®
2. Fluorouracil (5-FU, 5-fluorouracil) RxList
5. Methotrexate (MTX, Mexate)
1. Methotrexate (MTX, Mexate) CancerBACUP
2. Methotrexate (MTX, Mexate) RxList

 
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6. Paclitaxel (Taxol®)
1. Paclitaxel (Taxol®) Micromedex USP DI®
2. Paclitaxel (Taxol®) RxList
7. Taxotere (docetaxol) RxList
8. Herceptin® for women with relatively poor outlook her-2-neu positive tumors
   1. Herceptin® National Cancer Institute
   2. Herceptin® RxList
9. Vincristine (Oncovin®) Micromedex USP DI®
10. Vinblastine (Velban®, Velsar®) CancerBACUP
11. Vinorelbine (Navelbine®) RxList
12. Xeloda® (capecitabine) Roche
13. Novantrone® (mitoxantrone) RxList

 
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2. Breast cancer hormonal agents:
   1. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)
      1. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) National Cancer Institute
      2. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) USP DI patient information
      3. Tamoxifen (Nolvadex) RxList
   2. Toremifene (Fareston) on CancerBACUP
   3. Anastrozole (Arimidex)
      1. Anastrozole (Arimidex) RxList
      2. Anastrozole (Arimidex) TransMed
   4. Letrozole (Femara)
      1. Letrozole (Femara) RxList
      2. Femara (letrozole) described by Novartis, the manufacturer
      3. Letrozole (Femara) on CancerBACUP
   5. Exemestane (Aromasin®), an irreversible, steroidal aromatase inactivator
      1. Exemestane (Aromasin®) RxList
      2. Exemestane (Aromasin®) US FDA Federal Drug Administration
   6. Aminoglutethimide (Cytadren®) Micromedex USP DI®
   7. Goserelin (Zoladex®)
      1. Zoladex (goserelin) Goserelin (Zoladex®) CancerBACUP
      2. Goserelin (Zoladex®) RxList
   8. Buserelin (Suprefact)
   1. Buserelin (Suprefact) Micromedex USP DI®
   2. Buserelin (Suprefact) CancerBACUP
   9. Leuprolide (Lupron®) RxList
   10. Fulvestrant (Faslodex) December, 2000 Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
   11. Megestrol acetate (Megace®), similar to the female hormone progesterone
   1. Megestrol acetate (Megace®) RxList
   2. Megestrol acetate (Megace®) CancerBACUP
   3. Megestrol acetate (Megace®) CancerNet.co.UK
   12. Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA or Provera) RxList
   13. Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin)
   1. Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin) RxList
   2. Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin) First Data Bank

Venous access devices, ports and catheters

1. Facts about Intravenous Catheter Lines from the Seattle Treatment Education Project
2. Ports CancerLynx personal experiences

Side effects of cancer treatment:

1. OncologyChannel.com
Treatment of Chemotherapy Side Effects and Complications
2. Low blood counts:
1. Low White Blood Cells (Neutropenia) increase your chances of developing serious infection. Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factors, Leukine (sargramostim) or Neupogen (filgrastim), can increase your white blood count and reduce your chances of serious infection.
1. Leukine (sargramostim) RxList
2. Neupogen (filgrastim) RxList
2. Low Red Blood Cells (Anemia) make you feel tired and weak. A dangerously low red blood cell count can make you short of breath, light headed and dizzy. Blood transfusion, iron pills or Erythropoietin Procrit or Epogen (epoetin-alpha), described on RxList,
can increase your red blood cell count.
3. Low Blood Platelets (Thrombocytopenia) can cause serious bleeding. Platelet transfusion or Neumega (oprelvekin) can increase dangerously low platelet counts.
1. Neumega (oprelvekin) MedlinePlus USP DI®
2. Neumega (oprelvekin) RxList
3. Fatigue
4. Hair Loss American Cancer Society
5. Skin Problems
6. Changes in Taste and Smell
7. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia), Tooth Decay, Mouth and Throat Soreness
1. Chemotherapy and Your Mouth National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
2. Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) and its treatment dentist Dr. David Fox
3. Over-the-Counter Products for mouth ulcers By William M. Carpenter, DDS, MS, and Sol Silverman Jr., MA, DDS
8. Shortness of Breath
9. Heart Problems
10. Trouble Swallowing:
     
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11. Nausea And Vomiting, treated with anti-emetics
    1. Overviews
    1. National Cancer Institute CancerNet
    2. Effects of chemotherapy on your gastrointestinal system including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation about.com
    2. Anti-emetic medications help control nausea and vomiting
    1. Serotonin receptor antagonists
       • Ondansetron (Zofran) RxList
       • Dolasetron (Anzemet)
       • Dolasetron (Anzemet) WebMD Health
       • Dolasetron (Anzemet) RxList
       • Granisetron (Kytril)
       • Granisetron (Kytril) Micromedex USP DI®
       • Granisetron (Kytril) ahealthyme.com
       • Granisetron (Kytril) RxList
       • Tropisetron (Navoban)
    2. Dopamine receptor antagonists
       • Metoclopramide (Reglan)
       • Metoclopramide (Reglan) Micromedex USP DI®
       • Metoclopramide (Reglan) HealthCentral adam.com
       • Metoclopramide (Reglan) RxList
    3. Corticosteroids, such as Prednisone, dexamethasone (Decadron) and methylprednisolone (Medrol)
       • Corticosteroids CancerBACUP
       • Corticosteroids Micromedex USP DI®
    4. Marinol (dronabinol), the active substance in marijuana
    • Marinol (dronabinol) RxList
    • Marinol (dronabinol) Shaffer Library of Drug Policy
    • Marijuana Use in Supportive Care for Cancer Patients National Cancer Institute
    
     
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12. Poor appetite
1. National Cancer Institute Eating Hints for Patients with Cancer
2. Nutrition (PDQ®) Supportive Care - Patients National Cancer Institute CancerNet
13. Diarrhea Tiscali Health
14. Menopausal symptoms are common because chemotherapy can cause early ovarian failure (early menopause) and because estrogen replacement might increase the chances of breast cancer recurrence
1. Menopause South Florida physician Dr. Nosanchuk
2. Early menopause Premature Ovarian Failure support group FAQ, Newsletters, e-mail support group, Chat Room, research studies, Doctors Answer Line
3. Anti-depressants to control hot flashes CancerTrials National Cancer Institute

 
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