Is interferon a form of chemo therapy?

[lynne655]

The other question i meant to ask is whether interferon is a form of chemotherapy or not?
Thanks
Lynne

[nygirl7]

Or do cancer patients just have the nausea/weightloss/hairloss physical side effects.?
Do they go through the interferon fogged out depression/soul destroying/soul searching exeriences that we go through? "

Have you ever SEEN someone going through real chemo?  It seems 100x worse to me than anything we go through - 100x.

We are quite lucky in that way even though hepc treatment *****.

[nygirl7]

I received this email from a friend of mine who is not a member but occasionally takes a peak at the forum.  He has done both and this was what I was asked to post:

Please post this note from a "friend"

I've done cancer chemo and I have also done 48 weeks of SOC for HCV.  I would call it "chemo" in awkward situations where I did not want to be closely questioned about my illness, however to me it is a whole different experience and not in the same class with cancer treatment.  Also, many people undergoing chemo for cancer (myself included) also are taking radiation treatments at the same time.  There is no comparison between SOC for HCV and the torture that is chemo plus radiation.

[mountainair]

What I have observed in my internet investigations confirms what ya'll have said for HCV combination therapy which consists of interferon and antivirals; however I did note that therapy with interferon (regardless of the purpose - cancer or hep c) is specifically referred to as immunotherapy.
I, too have been confused about how a drug (interferon) that is supposed to boost my immune system results in a reduction of WBCs - especially neutriphils we need to fight infection??!?
Lynda

[hippygem]

I was wondering about the side effects of chemotherapy on cancer patients, and do they suffer the same side effects as the 'mental & physical' side effects as we all experience during HCV treatment.?
Or do cancer patients just have the nausea/weightloss/hairloss physical side effects.?
Do they go through the interferon fogged out depression/soul destroying/soul searching exeriences that we go through?

How long is cancer treatment?

Im on treatment just now, 2nd round, questioning everything.........lol

[spectda]

I didn't mean to imply that I have experienced chemo, I guess I should say my observation.

[spectda]

The point of chemotherapy is too destroy cancer cells but the medication can not distinguish between healthy and cancer cells. Although interferon and riba have adverse cell destroying side effects they are not designed with the purpose of destroying cells.

I think the real question is if they compare in what they do to the body and how debilitating they are. My experience has been that tx really $ucks, but is not nearly as devastating as cancer chemo.