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Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology pp 544–546Cite as

Chemotherapy

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Synonyms

Systemic therapy

Definition

Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment for cancer, comprising cytoxic agents that target cancer cells. Normally, cells develop and die in an orderly and determined fashion. However, when cancer manifests itself, the cells intractably divide and proliferate. Chemotherapy drugs target these cancer cells by destroying them before they continually multiply and divide. In particular, chemotherapy interferes with or impairs the targeted molecules (e.g., DNA, proteins) during designated cellular stages, such as synthesis or mitosis. The majority of chemotherapy drugs damage or interfere with the replication of DNA and/or RNA, and are used to treat several malignancies, particularly brain tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Some of the chemotherapies include: alkylating agents (such as cisplatin, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, and temozolomide) to treat brain tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias; nitrosoureas (e.g., carmustine and lomustine) are indicated for the...

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References and Readings

  • Armstrong, C. L., Gyato, K., Awadalla, A. W., Lustig, R., & Tochner, Z. A. (2004). A critical review of the clinical effects of therapeutic irradiation damage to the brain: the roots of controversy. Neuropsychology Review, 14, 65–86.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chabner, B. A., & Longo, D. L. (2004). Cancer chemotherapy and biotherapy: Principles and practice. Hagerstown, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hoag Hospital Cancer Center, Department of Gynecologic Oncology, 351 Hospital Road, Ste. 507, 92663, Newport Beach, CA, USA

    Bram Goldstein

Authors
  1. Bram Goldstein
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical Center Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU, 980542, Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0542, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation Research Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, 07052, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  4. Independent Practice, 564 M.O.B. East, 100 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA

    Bruce Caplan

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Goldstein, B. (2011). Chemotherapy. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_98

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_98

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

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