The Conservative Cat

Last Thursday Laura went in for her first chemotherapy treatment. So far, the treatment has been described as "successful".

The purpose of chemotherapy is to kill leftover cancer cells after a tumor has been removed. The chemicals used are toxic to all life forms, but they kill cancer faster than they kill healthy cells. This is why there are the rather severe side effects. One of the earliest chemotherapy drugs was 5-fluoro-uracil, a compound formed by replacing one of uracil's hydrogen atoms with fluorine. When the cell is building RNA, the 5FU is used along with the real uracil, but the RNA thus formed is useless for normal operation. If this happens enough times, the cell dies. Cancer cells use more uracil than healthy cells, so they die faster.

The problem with breast cancer is that it tends to be near the heart. Chemotherapy is preferred over radiation therapy because it's easier to focus the treatment away from the heart.

Nowadays, we know more about how to treat the side effects of chemotherapy, which is how Laura will be able to return to the microphone on Monday. That's a good thing.

Respectfully submitted,

Ferdinand T. Cat