Which type of chemotherapy is administered directly into the bloodstream?

Which type of chemotherapy is administered directly into the bloodstream?

• A. Oral chemotherapy
• B. Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy
• C. Topical chemotherapy
• D. Subcutaneous chemotherapy

Answer: (B)

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy is administered directly into the bloodstream, allowing for rapid distribution of the drug throughout the body. This method is particularly effective for systemic treatment, as it ensures that the chemotherapy agents reach cancer cells that may be dispersed in various tissues. IV administration also allows for the delivery of higher drug concentrations, which can be especially beneficial in treating aggressive forms of cancer. Oral chemotherapy, while effective for some patients, is taken by mouth and must be absorbed through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream, resulting in a slower onset of action. Topical chemotherapy is applied directly to the skin and is used primarily for localized skin cancers or lesions rather than systemic effects. Subcutaneous chemotherapy is injected into the fatty tissue just beneath the skin, which may be suitable for certain medications, but it does not have the direct and immediate effect on the bloodstream that IV chemotherapy provides. Given these distinctions, IV chemotherapy stands out as the preferred method for achieving immediate and systemic therapeutic effects in the treatment of cancer.

Intravenous (IV) chemotherapy is administered directly into the bloodstream, allowing for rapid distribution of the drug throughout the body. This method is particularly effective for systemic treatment, as it ensures that the chemotherapy agents reach cancer cells that may be dispersed in various tissues. IV administration also allows for the delivery of higher drug concentrations, which can be especially beneficial in treating aggressive forms of cancer.

Oral chemotherapy, while effective for some patients, is taken by mouth and must be absorbed through the digestive system before entering the bloodstream, resulting in a slower onset of action. Topical chemotherapy is applied directly to the skin and is used primarily for localized skin cancers or lesions rather than systemic effects. Subcutaneous chemotherapy is injected into the fatty tissue just beneath the skin, which may be suitable for certain medications, but it does not have the direct and immediate effect on the bloodstream that IV chemotherapy provides.

Given these distinctions, IV chemotherapy stands out as the preferred method for achieving immediate and systemic therapeutic effects in the treatment of cancer.