Irinotecan is a type of medicine that doctors use to treat cancer. It works by stopping cancer cells from growing and spreading in the body.
When someone has cancer, it means their cells are growing out of control. This can happen for many reasons, but one big reason is because the cells don't die when they're supposed to. Irinotecan helps by stopping the cells from growing and dividing.
Doctors give Irinotecan to people with certain types of cancer. It's often used for colorectal cancer, which is cancer in the colon or rectum. Sometimes it's also used for other types of cancer, like lung cancer.
Irinotecan comes in a liquid form that gets injected into a person's vein. This is usually done at a hospital or clinic. The doctor or nurse will put a small needle into the vein, and the medicine will flow through the needle and into the body.
Like all medicines, Irinotecan can have side effects. These are things that happen because of the medicine that aren't part of treating the illness. Some people might feel sick to their stomach or have diarrhea after getting Irinotecan. It can also make people tired or weak. But doctors can often help manage these side effects with other medicines.
One important side effect of Irinotecan is that it can lower the number of white blood cells in the body. White blood cells are important because they help fight infections. So, if someone's white blood cell count gets too low, they might be more likely to get sick. But doctors can keep an eye on this and give medicines to help boost the white blood cell count if needed.
Another thing doctors watch out for is how Irinotecan affects the liver. Sometimes it can cause problems with the liver, so doctors will do tests to make sure everything is okay.
People who are getting Irinotecan might need to go to the hospital or clinic for regular check-ups to make sure they're doing okay. The doctor will ask how they're feeling and might do some tests to see how well the medicine is working.
It's important for people getting Irinotecan to tell their doctor about any side effects or problems they're having. The doctor can help figure out if there's a way to make things better.
Even though Irinotecan can have side effects, it's an important medicine for treating cancer. For many people, it can help stop the cancer from growing or spreading, which can give them more time and a better quality of life.
Have any queries, book a consultation with our Oncology Clinical Specialist
Irinotecan
Imagine your body as a big city with lots of roads and traffic lights. In this city, cells are like cars traveling on those roads. Normally, there are traffic lights that tell the cars when to stop and go. But in cancer, some cars don't listen to the traffic lights and keep going even when they're not supposed to.
Now, Irinotecan is like a special traffic police officer. It comes into the city and stands at the traffic lights. When it sees those cars (cancer cells) not obeying the lights, it switches them off. This stops the cars from moving and causing trouble.
So, Irinotecan basically helps to control those cancer cells that are growing out of control by stopping them from dividing and spreading. It's like putting a stop sign in front of the cancer cells, making them unable to grow and causing the cancer to shrink or stop growing altogether.
Have any queries, book a consultation with our Oncology Clinical Specialist