Neurofibromatosis treatment with chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is often used to treat tumors that develop on the skin's surface or directly below it (neurofibromas) and those that grow deeper in the neural pathways (plexiform neurofibromas). It is usually well suited for treating neurofibromatosis because it is systemic (treating the whole body, not just one part). In addition, since neurofibromatosis tumors can develop in several places simultaneously, chemotherapy may be a more practical option than other treatments, such as radiation therapy. Chemo drugs work by destroying cells that divide at an abnormally high rate; this, in turn, reduces tumors and alleviates the patient's symptoms. In some cases, medications such as vinblastine, methotrexate, carboplatin, and doxorubicin may be prescribed. Patients receive the drug intravenously in cycles. In this case, hospitalization is not required. Usually, four to eight cycles of chemotherapy are prescribed, with short recovery periods in between. Rest periods may be shorter in children and adolescents, as they often tolerate chemotherapy better than adults. Neurofibromatosis treatment with chemo drugs can be a good option when doctors aim to shrink the tumor in order to perform further surgery. Therefore, the therapy is rarely used as a single option and is frequently combined with other approaches.