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Figure 1: PracticalCures.Com (2015, November 30). Chemotherapy [Photograph].
Retrieved November 3, 2016, from goo.gl/Ss4Xe6
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Everybody knows that chemotherapy is used to treat cancer, but what most people don't know is that is can also be used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (CADTH, 2011, p. 1). More specifically a drug most commonly known as Methotrexate (PubChem, 2005, para. 1).
Chemotherapy is highly toxic. But really how toxic is it? The list is endless, toxicity can range from chills, fever, sweating, to anything in between such as muscle pain, or inflamed bladder, and even death (PubChem, 2005, para. 12.1.7). However theres no need to worry because although it is found in the environment, only those administered the drug have enough for side effects (“Methotrexate,” 2005, Environmental Fate/Exposure Summary , para. 1.).
Chemotherapy is often more toxic than the cancer itself, but as well as this there are a few other controversies. One being that it is used to aid in abortions and ectopic pregnancies yet women trying to get pregnant, or women who are pregnant have been administered the drug (Baquiran & Gallagher, 2001, p. 305-07). Another being that the drug is often tested on animals (Airley, 2009, p. 148).
Its a shame there are so many effects of this drug, because this is the only option. Besides alternate ways to take the drug, such as through an IV, or orally the options are low (Baquiran & Gallagher, 2001, p. 57-8). Elderly patients with arthritis have the option to take different drugs due to the significantly lower toxicity (Drosos, 2003, Abstract, para. 1). Besides this, there are no other options for cancer patients, but some make the personal decision to go for more holistic approaches.
By converting and combining different chemicals together in a Ph between 3.5 and 5, a temperature between 10° and 100° C, and a reaction medium with 0.3 to 1.0 ml of bromine you get Methotrexate (Catalucci, 1980, Abstract, para. 1). This brings the drug to have an orange brown colour, no odour, a melting point of 195c, insoluble in water, alcohol, and chloroform (although I am not sure why someone would want to dissolve methotrexate in chloroform in the first place), soluble in hydrochloric acid, hydroxides, carbonates, and interferes with DNA and RNA synthesis (PubChem, 2005, para. 4.2).
Despite all this negativity, taking methotrexate for 5 years increases survival rate to 70% in humans, and I participated in a study to help find new and better alternatives for chemotherapy (Airley, 2009, p. 161).
I assume the majority of people reading this started off with absolutely no interest in methotrexate, and frankly I don't blame you, but I hope after reading this I have brought you some knowledge to the topic and possibly sparked an interest.
REFERENCES
Airley, R., (2009). Cancer Chemotherapy: Basic Science to the Clinic. Retrieved from http://library.mtroyal.ca:2052/lib/mtroyal/reader.action?docID=10303739
Baquiran, Delia C., Gallagger, J. (2011). Lippincott’s Cancer Chemotherapy Handbook. Retrieved from http://library.mtroyal.ca:2052/lib/mtroyal/reader.action?docID=10865322
CADTH. (2011). Parental versus Oral Methotrexate for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Review of the Clinical Evidence. Retrieved from http://library.mtroyal.ca:2052/lib/mtroyal/reader.action?docID=10471127
Catalucci, E. (1980). Process for the Production of Methotrexate. Retrieved from http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4224446.html
Drosos, A. (2003). Methotrexate Intolerance in Elder Patients With Rheumatoid Arthrisis: What are the Alternatives? PubMed for MedLine, 20(10):723-36. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12875609
Methotrexate. (2005). Retrieved October 21, 2016 from https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+3123
PracticalCures.Com (2015). Chemotherapy [Photograph]. Retrieved from from goo.gl/Ss4Xe6
PubChem. (2005). Methotrexate. Retrieved October 21, 2016, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/methotrexate#section=Top
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