Systemic therapy is a medical treatment approach designed to affect the entire body. Unlike localized treatments, which focus on a specific area, systemic therapies travel through the bloodstream to reach cells or processes throughout the body. This comprehensive reach allows them to address widespread diseases or those not confined to a single location.
How Systemic Therapy Works
Systemic therapies are typically administered orally (pills, liquids) or intravenously (directly into a vein) to enter the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, therapeutic agents circulate throughout the body, reaching various tissues and organs. This widespread distribution is crucial for treating conditions affecting multiple sites or where disease cells have spread beyond a primary location.
These agents interact with specific cells or biological processes across the body. They are often designed to target characteristics unique to diseased cells or to modulate the body’s own systems. These therapies can address underlying issues that manifest in different parts of the body, offering a broad therapeutic effect.
Major Forms of Systemic Therapy
One prominent form is chemotherapy, which broadly targets rapidly dividing cells. While effective against many cancer cells, it can also affect healthy, fast-growing cells, leading to certain side effects. Chemotherapy drugs interfere with cell division, preventing cancer cells from multiplying and growing.
Targeted therapy represents a more precise approach, focusing on specific molecular pathways or characteristics found predominantly in cancer cells. These therapies block proteins or genes that contribute to cancer growth, often resulting in fewer side effects on healthy cells. Immunotherapy boosts the body’s own immune system to recognize and destroy diseased cells, harnessing natural defenses to fight conditions like cancer.
Hormone therapy is a systemic treatment often used for hormone-sensitive cancers, such as certain breast or prostate cancers. This therapy blocks the production or action of hormones that fuel cancer growth, slowing or stopping disease progression.
When Systemic Therapy is Used
Systemic therapy is employed when a disease has spread beyond its original site or affects multiple body parts. For instance, in cancer, it is a treatment option for metastatic disease, where cancer cells have traveled from the primary tumor to form new tumors elsewhere. It is also used when a tumor cannot be completely removed surgically or when there is a high risk of microscopic disease remaining after local treatment.
Beyond cancer, systemic therapies are also crucial for managing widespread conditions like autoimmune diseases, where the immune system attacks healthy tissues throughout the body. These treatments modulate the immune response across various affected organs and systems. The decision to use systemic therapy depends on the type and stage of the disease, as well as the individual’s overall health.
Important Considerations
Systemic therapy can affect healthy cells and tissues, leading to side effects. Common experiences include fatigue, nausea, and an increased risk of infection due to effects on rapidly dividing cells in the bone marrow.
Administration typically follows specific cycles, with treatment periods followed by rest periods for recovery. The duration and frequency vary depending on the specific therapy, condition, and patient response.
Close monitoring by healthcare professionals is part of systemic therapy, involving regular blood tests and assessments to manage side effects and evaluate treatment effectiveness.