Peggy Cassidy This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Today's News

   www.rnature.com/2001/04/11/med - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/11/2001   Last Visited: 7/17/2002

   The goal of chemo remains the same: "The attempt is to kill all tumor cells, which are rapidly reproducing," said Peggy Cassidy, a clinical specialist in oncology at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany.
   
   But because the chemo drugs can't differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells, the drugs have the unwanted side effect of killing all cells that normally reproduce quickly, including those in hair follicles, bone marrow and the digestive tract.
   
   That explains why many cancer patients lose their hair, suffer low blood counts (the marrow makes red and white blood cells), feel nauseous and develop diarrhea and mouth sores.
   
   Although researchers haven't come up with a drug yet to mitigate hair loss, they have made progress in overcoming some of the other problems, especially the potential for anemia, fatigue and infections from low blood counts.
   
   ...
   A class of drugs known as colony stimulating factors, which boost blood counts, are now a routine part of chemo, Cassidy said. "We're so much better at the treating the side effects before they occur," she said.
   
   Another new class of drugs, known as chemoprotectants, helps protect normal cells from high doses of chemotherapy while still allowing the chemo to act on the cancer cells.
   
   "With these new drugs, we can tend to give the drug longer, or in higher doses," Cassidy said.
   
   Despite the advances in reducing side effects, chemotherapy still causes anxiety for many cancer patients.
   
   ...
   "You can give the same combination to two people and they may feel entirely different," Cassidy said.
   
   In addition to addressing some of the physical side effects of the drugs, she said cancer experts are also more likely to recommend anti-depression or anxiety drugs for patients experiencing emotional difficulties with their diagnosis or treatment.

2. 2. NursingHands - A Web site for Nurses and Nursing Professionals. Including a Nurse Only Career Center.

   www.nursinghands.com/news/News - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/19/2000   Last Visited: 4/16/2001

   The goal of chemo remains the same : ``The attempt is to kill all tumor cells , which are rapidly reproducing , ' said Peggy Cassidy , a clinical specialist in oncology at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany.
   
   But because the chemo drugs can't differentiate between healthy cells and cancer cells , the drugs have the unwanted side effect of killing all cells that normally reproduce quickly , including those in hair follicles , bone marrow and the digestive tract.
   
   That explains why many cancer patients lose their hair , suffer low blood counts ( the marrow makes red and white blood cells ) , feel nauseous and develop diarrhea and mouth sores.
   
   Although researchers haven't come up with a drug yet to mitigate hair loss , they have made progress in overcoming some of the other problems , especially the potential for anemia , fatigue and infections from low blood counts.