Chemotherapy has been around in the medical world since the 1940’s and has since been the go-to way of treating cancer. Its credibility has been established through decades of being the #1 form of treatment used by oncologists on people suffering from cancer.
In a world where science and technology are evolving day in and day out, what both scientists and patients alike are trying to figure out is whether chemotherapy is still a better form of treatment than immunotherapy.
Opponents of immunotherapy claim that chemotherapy is effective in preventing the recurrence of cancer, doesn’t require patients to be hospitalized, and it works with cancer in advanced stages.
Molly McAdams, a long-time health journalist for multiple publishers in New York City, explains in her article “Chemotherapy Benefits” that “chemotherapy can help prevent cancer cells from spreading from the original site to other parts of the body, [and] at times, chemotherapy is used to destroy any cancerous cells that remain in the body after radiation treatment or surgery” which in turn minimizes the chances of the recurrence of the disease.
Although cancer recurrence depends on many factors such as the type of cancer and the person’s body, results have shown a higher remission rate when patients were treated with chemotherapy. The statistics for remission after chemotherapy treatment are about 48% of patients, which is a pretty high number when talking cancer.
Another pro of chemotherapy according to the American Cancer Society, is how it doesn’t necessarily have to be administered at a hospital. Chemotherapy does not always have to be injected to a patient via intravenous.
Oral chemotherapy is also an option that “is as strong as other forms of chemo and works just as well” and it is taken at home. As hospital bills are of great concern to patients, this means people receiving cancer treatment can save thousands of dollars by not being hospitalized. Also, the environment a person is in can be of crucial importance towards their way of responding to treatment. Taking their medicines in the comfort of their home while following as normal a routine as possible can definitely impact positively on patients and their recovery.
The third good point that supporters of chemotherapy over immunotherapy make is how chemotherapy has an effect even on advanced-stage cancers. Molly McAdams also explains how “in advanced stages of cancer, chemotherapy may be used to help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.” Seeing how surgery is not always an option depending on how delicate the area affected by the disease is, chemotherapy is the only alternative in order to control and maybe even stop the cancer cells from growing and spreading.
While immunotherapy is revolutionizing the medical world with its new technologies that allow one’s immune system to fight cancer by itself, the fact remains that chemotherapy has been globally the tried and true method for dealing with cancer for almost 80 years. Will it continue to be?
Immunotherapy 