Chemo is designed to kill the abnormal cells in the body unfortunatelly it also kills the good cells, this is to allow for the immune system to reboot and start from new. Its a necessary evil im afraid.
Chemo tends to kill any rapidly growing cells - which is why chemo and surgery can't be done at the same time, as the chemo also attacks the cells which are growing to heal the scars left by surgery. OK, a little simplistic but true.
thanks guys but im still left wondering if you have 2 cancer (or normal cells) splitting, does the chemo kill all 4 cells, or just the 2 newly formed ones?
The chemo affects rapidly dividing cells in the body some are normally rapidly dividing cells and some are abnormal cancer cells. The role of chemo tries to stop the cells splitting and producing more so to answer your question the chemo kills the cells trying to divide and if successful there won't be two new cells.
thanks Hayley.
I know I'm asking this in very basic terms about the horrible complex disease that is cancer, i'm just trying to clarify it in my head.
if chemo is working, and cancer cells are (by definition) regularly splitting, why would chemo not end up killing ALL of them? metasized cells or not??
Going back to your original question if you have 2 cancer cells that have already divided into 4 and then you have chemo it will affect all 4 cells not just the new ones.
But the aim of the chemo is to stop the cells dividing in the first place.
If the cells have metastasized to somewhere else the chemo if successful will still affect them also.
Hi Jack as previously said chemo works by attacking fast growing cells. Unfortunately the body has naturally fast growing cells so they are damaged too. A cancer cell is fast growing and when attacked by chemo it does not have the ability of repairing itself as the genetic make up of the cancer cell is abnormal so less likely to recover hence they die off. Cancer cells are like other cells in that they grow and rest at different time hence the reason chemo is given over a specif timescale. I.e. Every three weeks for x number of treatments. The oncologists work all that out when prescribing treatment. The cell needs to be in the process of dividing if chemo is to be affective. At times cancer cells lie dormant in the body for years and can therefore avoid chemotherapy. As a cancer progresses the cancer cells develop mechanisms to avoid detection. This is a rough idea of what is going on. When I was going through treatment I asked questions all the time and I found medical staff very keen and helpful to help me understand why and what was happening.
Jack. The answers you need really need to be explained by a professional. We in the forum can only give you an understanding based on our experience of having or have had cancer. Cancer is a complex subject and people experience it in their own unique way. So please seek support from your medical team. Kindest regards. W
