Chemotherapy Argumentative Paper

CEA3 ARGUMENT PAPER

Felicity Nsiah

Sussex Tech Adult Education

13 April 2017 Chemotherapy Is not the Best Form of Cancer Treatment

Standard Number: 6.4.B

When we hear, cancer treatment, our minds naturally shoot straight to chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the most commonly used way to treat cancer. There is a saying that goes “Chemotherapy is an opponent itself simultaneously caring you and hurting you”. (Morasca, 2015). Cancer refers to the abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and in some cases, it spreads to other parts of the body. The main types of cancer treatment include: surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy, stem cell transplant, precision medicine, and chemotherapy.

Cognitive problems occur when a person has trouble processing information. This includes mental tasks related to attention span, thinking, and short-term memory. Cognitive disorders often begin subtly but progress until they significantly impede the affected individual’s quality of life. It is on record that about 75% of people with cancer experience cognitive problems during treatment. (Cancer Treatment, December, 2016). And 35% have issues that continue for months after finishing treatment. (Cancer Treatment, December, 2016). These problems vary in severity and often make it hard to complete daily activities. Some of the symptoms of cognitive problems are; trouble concentrating, focusing, or paying attention, mental fog or disorientation, Difficulty with spatial orientation, memory loss or difficulty remembering things, especially names, dates, or phone numbers, problems with understanding, difficulties with judgment and reasoning, impaired math, organizational, and language skills ( this includes tasks such as not being able to organize thoughts, find the right word, or balance a checkbook), Problems multitasking, processing information slower, Behavioral and emotional changes such as irrational behavior, mood swings, inappropriate anger or crying, and socially inappropriate behavior and severe confusion. The level of these symptoms often depends on the person’s age, stress level, history of depression or anxiety,

Not all cancer survivors will experience late and long-term effects. Some may appear soon after treatment or up to years after treatment ends. In most cases, the earlier these late effects are identified, the easier they are to treat. Late effects vary from one cancer survivor to the next. They can range from very mild to serious. Some effects might improve or go away with time such as anemia. Others might be permanent such as certain types of nerve damage. The effects of surgery depend on the area of the body (or site) where the surgery is performed. Risks have been lessened by new and improved surgical methods but late effects may still occur. A tumor may affect healthy tissue as it grows if it damages or kills normal cells. Damage can also occur if the healthy tissue around a tumor is removed during surgery. This might be done to make certain that all of the cancer cells are removed and thus may be necessary for appropriate cancer treatment. Some of the lasting effects chemotherapy leaves on the individual include loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, bladder issues, bleeding, anemia, hair loss, edema, infections lymphedema, neutropenia, nerve issues, fertility problems and ongoing physical pain. Chemotherapy medicines interfere with the rapidly growing cells of the body. These cells can include those related to hair, skin, fingernails or the stomach lining. Therefore, chemotherapy can cause