Rheumatoid Arthritis: Risks and Benefits of Chemotherapy Treatments

Published 9 May 2016

Chemotherapy is most often associated with cancer treatment, but it is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your own body mounts an immune attack on your joints.

chemotherapy hospital

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, this immune response causes inflammation and pain in the joints, particularly in the hands and feet. It can also affect the heart and lungs.

The chemotherapy drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Pain medications like ibuprofen or naproxen patients use to relieve pain and inflammation only treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, but DMARDs treat the underlying cause of rheumatoid arthritis by changing the body’s immune response so it will stop attacking the joints, explains Healthgrades.

While chemotherapy is effective for rheumatoid arthritis, symptom relief can take months, and there are many potential side effects. Your physician will monitor your progress and occasionally take a blood sample. You may need to try a few different drugs before finding the best one.

The most common chemotherapy drug used in rheumatoid arthritis treatment is methotrexate.

According to Drugs.com, methotrexate can produce a long list of side effects. Some of the the minor side effects include:

* temporary hair loss

* decreased appetite

* nausea and vomiting

* skin rashes

* acne

More severe side effects warrant an immediate consultation with your physician. These severe side effects include, but are not limited to:

* bloody vomit and stool

* joint pain

* mouth sores

* stomach pain

* diarrhea

* swelling in the legs

* blurred vision

* dizziness

* fever and chills

* shortness of breath

* convulsions

Two other drugs, Imuran and Cytoxin, are less commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, says WebMD. These drugs can produce more severe, life-threatening side effects than methotrexate.

The American College of Rheumatology recommends that all patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis be treated early with chemotherapy because early treatment slows down the damage to joints. People who start treatment early are more likely to keep joints functioning for a longer period of time.

Have you tried chemotherapy for your RA? How did you find it?

16 comments

Unregistered member

on 12/05/2016

Been just put on methotrexate for my arthritis so worried about side effects wondering if someone else is taking it and could explain how they feel thanks

maireadobrien

on 16/05/2016

Hi I am on methotrexate and I can honestly say I have suffered no side effects.

Belfast

on 16/05/2016

I am on methotrexate also, no noticeable side effects x

Rmcmanus

on 17/05/2016

I started taking methotrexate a year ago ,I have had no pain since I started the medication ,But I do have very bad nausea & feel very sleepy but only for about 24 hours ..then I go back to normal ,I had a bit of Hair loss but that is back to normal also ..Few side effects are noting to the pain i used to get .Good Luck !

funmaisey

on 23/05/2016

methotrexate - Ive never heard of this ?! or been offered it as a treatment. Do you have to be very ill before you are offered this treatment - I am in Ireland - was diagnosed in 2010 and I have pain in my hands / fingers and I dont know if this is connected but have had pain in my elbows and and pins and needles down lower arms

You will also like

Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis

Photograph Testimonial: Continuing to work with rheumatoid arthritis

3 Jan 2019 • 14 comments

Read the article

Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis

7 tips for sleeping with rheumatoid arthritis

3 Oct 2018 • 17 comments

Read the article

Arthritis

Fifteen percent of osteoporosis patients who take 'drug holidays' suffer bone fractures

7 May 2018 • 8 comments

Read the article

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis: "I never tried to accept the disease but to move forward"

20 Mar 2021 • 5 comments

See the testimonial

Fact sheets

Rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Risks and Benefits of Chemotherapy Treatments

Chemotherapy is most often associated with cancer treatment, but it is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your own body mounts an immune attack on your joints.

16 comments

You will also like

Most commented discussions

Fact sheets