Selena Gomez and Golnesa ‘GG’ Gharachedaghi from ‘Shahs of Sunset’ are examples of how chemo is not just for cancer

Selena Gomez recently revealed she used chemotherapy to try to treat Lupus. Now Golnesa “GG” Gharachedaghi, of Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset,” is undergoing chemo to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Selena

Though the mixture of medicines and drugs is not often thought of as treating other diseases, chemotherapy can be used to combat a number of different illnesses, particularly autoimmune problems.

“Chemo kills cells that are rapidly dividing,” says Dr. Joan T. Merrill, medical director of the Lupus Foundation of America. “What you are hoping is you hit the right dose of chemo to kill the problem and spare the cells you need to live.”

Chemo can work to fight autoimmune diseases, which occur when “the body is responding as if it is being attacked by infection,” Merrill explains.

According to Merrill, among the diseases which chemo can be used to treat are:

* Lupus, a multi-system autoimmune disease that can strike almost organ in the body.

* Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease that attacks joints

* Polymyositis, inflammation of the muscles

* Vasculitis, inflammation of blood vessels

* Crohn’s disease, inflammation of the bowels

* Psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory arthritis

* Sceleroderma, a group of diseases that affect connective tissues in the body

Just the word “chemo” was enough to scare the “Shahs of Sunset” star.

“Never have I ever been so scared yet so excited at the same time,” Gharachedaghi posted on Instagram. “My RA is working in overcharge and my health has not been getting better. But today I will take charge and hope for a better tomorrow. Hopefully I will inspire others to not be afraid as well.”

And Gomez — who’s been talking about her disease and treatment — has explained that though Lupus has no cure, she currently has it under control.