How Long After Diagnosis Does Chemo Start (And Why)?

How Long After Diagnosis Does Chemo Start (And Why)?

Exact Answer: After One Month

Chemotherapy is the primary treatment to treat cancer, as cancer cells proliferate than other cells. A different mixture of compounds is used for therapy which relies on Cancer type. Duration of treatment varies from person to person, from weeks to months. Chemotherapy may also be used for curing system disorders.

Chemotherapy is an effective way to treat cancer, bone marrow diseases, and many other medical conditions. But it has some side-effects as well. Although some of these are mild and can be treated, some can cause severe complications as well. Some of these include vomiting, bleeding, nausea, damage to lung issues, etc.

How Long After Diagnosis Does Chemo Start

How Long After Diagnosis Does Chemo Start?

Chemotherapy is of various types, including Standard Chemotherapy, Cytotoxic Chemotherapy, and Traditional Chemotherapy. Standard Chemotherapy works by killing the growing cells which are harmful to the body, like cancer cells. Cytotoxic Chemotherapy is a treatment that kills the rapid growth of harmful cells but does relatively minor damage to the normal cell, unlike Standard Chemotherapy, which kills both the cells. Traditional Chemotherapy, on the other hand, uses drugs that mainly help to kill the tumor cells.

There is a different goal for the chemotherapy depending upon the condition of the body, sometimes it can help get rid of all the harmful cells in the body, and other times it is a preventive procedure to prevent the growth of the harmful cells and to stop it from spreading in the body. The bone marrow is affected in a way that it would produce low red and white blood cells and blood platelets. The compromising of the white blood cells in the body makes the body prone to infection. Chemotherapy messes with the patient’s immune system, and whereas some people get back to normal after two or three months, it might take others up to even nine months to get their immune system back to normal. 

Chemo
Condition Of PatientTime After Diagnosis For Chemo To Start
Normal ConditionIn two months
Critical ConditionWithin a month

After a patient is diagnosed with any primary disease like cancer, the doctor opts for chemotherapy. In normal conditions, chemo is started after two months of diagnosis. But if the condition of the patient is critical, then it is started within a month.

Why Does It Take That Long After Diagnosis For Chemo To Start?

After Chemotherapy, the body becomes more prone to infections due to the lack of white blood cells. Hence, the immune system of the body is affected. All kinds of Chemotherapy would affect the body’s working; the severity of the action depends upon some factors like the kind of medication being taken, how chemotherapy is taking place, how long the treatment lasts, etc. There are two ways of the medicines being taken into the body, the first is in the shape of pills, and the second is intravenous treatments where the medicine is injected into veins in the arm, chest, or hands.

However, the person can take some measures to take care of their health even during the chemotherapy by following some rules. The first could be getting enough rest so that the body does not feel the fatigue of the Chemotherapy medicines and can relax. Further, a healthy diet plan should be discussed with the doctor to give the body energy, which can be otherwise drained during the procedure.

Chemo

It takes that long after diagnosis for chemo to start because the doctor needs to examine the patient’s condition and decide whether the patient’s body will tackle the rays emitted in the chemotherapy. After all, this is done, then only a doctor can proceed with chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Chemotherapy is a treatment that uses drugs to kill the harmful, rapidly growing cells in the body. It is used to treat cancer but is also effective in bone marrow diseases and immune system disorders. During Chemotherapy, the drugs are entered into the body, either by pills or intravenous treatments, and attack the harmful growing cells in the body.

On average, chemo is started after two months of diagnosis, but it can also be started in a month, depending on the patient’s condition. You can take good care of your body before, during, and after chemotherapy. You need to take a good rest, exercise, and reducing stress.

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1368837518304548
  2. https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/immune/cancer/chemo
dot 1
One request?

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Avatar of Nidhi

AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

15 Comments

  1. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is clear, but the defensive approach is also critical in allowing for the best results.

  2. While the medical professionals have good intentions, it’s still a long time to wait for treatment. Patients shouldn’t have to wait so long for treatment.

  3. The process of chemotherapy is really eye-opening and the importance of health before, during, and after treatment is paramount.

  4. It’s fascinating how much the human body can handle, and how much input is required from the medical professionals to aid in chemotherapy.

    1. It’s incredible how the body responds to it, it speaks volumes for how much work and research has gone into chemotherapy.

  5. It’s hard to come to terms with the side effects of chemotherapy, but it’s a necessary evil when it comes to treating cancer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *