Disease Treatment: Chemotherapy, Antibiotics, Surgery & Transplants

Posted on Jan 23, 2025 in Biology

Disease Treatment

5.1 Drug Use: Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves using chemicals and drugs to combat diseases. These chemicals are used to prevent and combat diseases:

  • Disinfectants: Substances used to destroy microorganisms on objects (e.g., alcohol, bleach).
  • Antiseptics: Eliminate microorganisms on living tissue to prevent infection (e.g., alcohol, hydrogen peroxide).
  • Antibiotics: Chemicals that destroy or stop the growth of microorganisms. They are of two types:
    • Bactericides (kill microorganisms, e.g., penicillin, gentamicin).
    • Bacteriostatic (prevent reproduction, e.g., erythromycin).
  • Antivirals: Prevent virus replication. Antiretroviral drugs are effective against RNA viruses (HIV). Interferon is also used.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Block substances causing inflammation, with analgesic and antipyretic effects (e.g., aspirin).
  • Analgesics: Combat pain (e.g., morphine, heroin, methadone, paracetamol).
  • Corticosteroids: Regulate metabolism and have anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activity.
  • Other drugs: Therapeutic substances to treat diseases or symptoms (e.g., anticoagulants, antidiabetics).

5.2 Treatment of Cancer

Cancer treatment includes:

  • Anticancer chemotherapy: Cytotoxic substances that act on cancer cells’ DNA or mitotic spindle formation.
  • Immunotherapy: Stimulates the immune system to respond to tumors using vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, or radioactive isotopes.
  • Radiotherapy: Uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells by altering their DNA. Types include:
    • External radiation.
    • Internal radiation.
    • Photodynamic therapy.

5.3 Antibiotic Resistance

The abuse of antibiotics for therapeutic and preventive purposes is the direct cause of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics kill susceptible bacteria, leading to the selection of resistant ones. Nosocomial infections in hospitals are a consequence of antibiotic abuse. Pharmaceutical companies develop new substances to control infectious diseases.

5.4 Surgery

New surgical procedures include:

  • Arthroscopy and laparoscopy: Endoscopic techniques for non-invasive interventions in joints and the abdomen.
  • Cardiac Catheterization: Involves accessing the heart through a small tube inserted into an artery.
  • Intrauterine surgery: Allows interventions on fetuses inside the womb.

5.5 Transplants and Solidarity

Transplantation is a surgical technique to replace a damaged organ or tissue. Types of transplants:

  • Autotransplantation: Tissue transplanted from the same individual.
  • Syngeneic: Tissues and organs from a genetically identical individual.
  • Allotransplantation: Donor and recipient are the same species but genetically different.
  • Xenotransplantation: Donor and recipient are different species.

Organ shortage is a problem. Rejection is an immune response where the recipient’s body recognizes antigens in the transplanted organ and tries to destroy it (autotransplants and syngeneic transplants do not cause rejection). Graft-versus-host disease occurs when the transplanted organ triggers a rejection response against the host organism.