Systemic therapy

Systemic therapy is a form of treatment that employs substances that circulate throughout the bloodstream. This method ensures that the therapeutic agents have the potential to reach and affect target cells, such as cancer cells, anywhere in the body. Systemic therapy stands in contrast to local therapy, which targets specific areas of the body, such as surgery or radiation.

Types of Systemic Therapy

There are various types of systemic therapies, each designed to target cancer cells in different ways:

• Chemotherapy: Uses drugs to kill or stop the growth of cancer cells. These drugs can be taken orally or injected into the bloodstream.
• Hormone therapy: Targets cancers that grow in response to hormones by either lowering hormone levels or blocking their effects on cancer cells.
• Targeted therapy: Uses drugs that are designed to target specific molecules or pathways involved in cancer cell growth and survival.
• Immunotherapy: Enhances the body's natural defense mechanisms to fight cancer.
• Biological therapy: Uses living organisms, their derivatives, or synthetic versions to treat cancer. This includes vaccines, bacteria, or human immune cells.

Applications

Systemic therapy is employed in various scenarios:

• Primary Treatment: To shrink a tumor before surgery or radiation therapy or to kill cancer cells after local treatments.
• Adjuvant Treatment: Following primary treatments to kill any remaining cancer cells.
• Neoadjuvant Treatment: Before a primary treatment to make it more effective.
• Maintenance Therapy: To prevent cancer from coming back.
• Palliative Therapy: To alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life when the cancer is advanced.

Side Effects

As systemic therapy affects the entire body, it may also affect healthy cells, leading to side effects. Common side effects include:

• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Hair loss
• Anemia
• Increased risk of infections due to weakened immune system

However, the exact side effects vary based on the type of therapy, the specific drugs or agents used, the dose, and the patient's overall health.

Future Directions

With advancements in research, newer forms of systemic therapies are emerging, which are more specific to cancer cells and have fewer side effects. Precision medicine, which customizes treatments based on the genetic makeup of the cancer, is also gaining traction.

See Also

• Oncology
• Radiation Therapy
• Tumor

References

• DeVita, V. T., Lawrence, T. S., & Rosenberg, S. A. "Cancer: Principles & Practice of Oncology". Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011.
• National Cancer Institute. "Systemic Therapy for Cancer". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019.

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