Induction Chemotherapy

The origination of multiple myeloma is from the plasma cells which are the most important part in our body as they are connected with the body’s immune system. These cells help the body to fight against outside attacks like infection and harmful germs and diseases. The plasma cells are known to produce the required antibodies to fight against all types of infections and diseases.

When you suffer from multiple myeloma there is an uncontrolled growth of these plasma cells in the bone marrow resulting in tumors in the bone structure due to this there is a major problem of producing RBC, WBC and the platelets in the body. Due to this you may suffer from anemia and your body is now becomes prone to diseases and infections leading to frequent problems of internal and external bleeding.

One of the major side effects of radiation therapy is the chances of getting multiple myeloma and if you suffer from this then you require a number of chemotherapy treatments like the conventional chemotherapy, transplantation of the stem cells, salvage chemotherapy

Conventional chemotherapy is always followed by stem cell transplantation and this method of treatment is referred to as induction chemotherapy. This type of treatment helps the tumor to shrink thus it helps transplantation of the stem cells give better results. The drugs that are used in this mode of treatment are dexamethasone, DVD, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, VAD, Ortho-Biotech, dexamethasone, methasone, and thalidomide.

How is this treatment administered?

In this mode of treatment the tumor cells get exposed thus there are less side effects and the recovery period is more. The treatment can be as short as six months and go on till a year with rest period in between. There are three or four chemotherapy cycles followed by induction chemotherapy or stem cell chemotherapy. Chemotherapy treatment is continued even after the collection of the stem cells until you have reached a stable condition. Sometimes these transplants are reserved until there is a relapse of multiple myeloma.

Corticosteroids are used to treat multiple myeloma along with dexamethasone in induction chemotherapy. VAD is now gaining popularity though it has been proved that the use of Thal-dex has shown far more response in treating multiple myeloma.

All types of chemotherapy treatments are known to cause side effects some which are temporary and some which have a more lasting permanent effect on the body. This is so because the drugs that are used in this mode of treatment are highly toxic and not only destroy the cancerous cells in the body but also those healthy cells that surround these cancerous cells.

Some of the side effects that are associated with all types of cancer treatment are vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, fatigue, loss of memory, hair loss, diarrhea etc. These side effects are temporary and disappear after the completion of the treatment cycle but then the more permanent side effects associated with cancer treatment are damage to the lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, reproductive organs and the bladder.