HCV treatment considered Chemo ?

[stonewall611]

I read an article from a Doctor that says he devotes himself to the treatment of HCV.    In this document, he states that HCV Treatment at stage 3-4 should be considered Chemo.     Opinions and info?

[alagirl]

interferon = chemo

[bailezz]

Interferon is chemotherapy.  It is listed as the FDA as a chemo  and also at www.chemocare.com
The side effects the same.

[Marcia2202]

interferon is listed as a chemotherapy drug on the FDA site...

[newleaf09]

I certainly consider it chemo.  The treatment chemicals kill malignant cells as well as benign cells, just like cancer chemical treatment.  The same rescue drugs are used to help maintain the good cells, just like in cancer treatment.  You need to adjust your life while on the drugs.  People just got used to calling cancer treatment 'chemo' but it doesn't exclude other similar treatments.

[lapis]

The drugs used to treat HCV are also used to treat other illnesses.  Interferon is used in the tx of certain types of leukemia, and Ribavirin is used to tx HIV.  In those cases it is considered chemo, so the combo tx for HCV should be considered chemo.  

It's an interesting thing that HCV tx has not yet been considered chemo by the insurance companies, which meant, for me, that my care provider had to file an appeal to have an anti-nausea drug (Zofran) approved for my use during tx.  Zofran is indicated for use, according to the ins. co, during chemo for cancer and HIV.  There is no mention of tx for HCV.  Makes me wonder if there's some political or monetary reason that they don't consider our tx to be chemo.

[Isobella]

I just finished a microbiology course.  When we were covering treatments for diseases, they taught us that chemotherapy is the use of drugs to cure or treat disease.  They also said that most people assumed (incorrectly) that it meant for cancer only.  Got it right on the test...so that's the answer I am sticking with.

Altho, I kinda like the sound of electric death, lol!!

[eureka254]

Interesting take, although I've never heard that particular line of thought before.  Perhaps that doctor's line of thinking is that "chemo" = "cancer prevention", so that for stage 3 and stage 4 (who are at increased risk for liver cancer) it's "chemo."  My husband is currently treating and considers it chemo in a way because he's already had a liver cancer removed caused by his hep c, and his thinking is that this treatment is his best chance at preventing hcc recurrence.  Hope that information is helpful.
~eureka

[jdwithhcv]

I've done both chemo and Hep C tx.  They are very similar, only when I had chemo for cancer it did not go on for nearly as long and I got to take breaks between cycles.

jd