What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to treat cancerous cells. Chemotherapy has been used for many years and is one of the most common treatments for cancer. In most cases, chemotherapy works by interfering with the cancer cell's ability to grow or reproduce. Different groups of drugs work in different ways to fight cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be used alone for some types of cancer or in combination with other treatments such as radiation or surgery. Often, a combination of chemotherapy drugs is used to fight a specific cancer. Certain chemotherapy drugs may be given in a specific order depending on the type of cancer it is being used to treat.

 

While chemotherapy can be quite effective in treating certain cancers, chemotherapy drugs reach all parts of the body, not just the cancer cells. Because of this, there may be many side effects during treatment. The ability to anticipate these side effects can help patients and caregivers prepare and, in some cases, prevent these symptoms from occurring.

 

Chemotherapy can be given:

 

- as a pill to swallow

- as an injection into the muscle or fat tissue

- intravenously (directly to the bloodstream; also called IV)

- topically (applied to the skin)

- directly into a body cavity

 

To reduce the damage to healthy cells and to give them a chance to recover, chemotherapy is given in cycles. Chemotherapy may be given daily, weekly, every few weeks, or monthly, depending on a patient's specific situation.

Chemotherapy is the use of medications to fight cancer. It is considered a systemic treatment which means the medication travels through the blood stream and throughout the body to reach the cancerous cells. Chemotherapy works by attacking rapidly dividing cells in the body, interfering with their ability to grow or multiply. Since cancer cells are marked by uncontrolled growth, they are often susceptible to these drugs. However, since chemotherapy is a systemic treatment and affects all rapidly dividing cells in the body, these drugs may also damage some normal cells. The most susceptible normal cells are the blood cells, hair follicles, and the cells lining the mouth and intestines.

Chemotherapy is the use of medicine to destroy cancer cells.

Sometimes medicines are put into the blood, usually in a vein, so that they can travel to cells all over the body. This is called systemic chemotherapy.

But chemotherapy may also be:

• Taken by mouth (orally), in pills, capsules, or a liquid.
• Mixed into a cream that is rubbed onto the skin (topically).
• Given as a shot (injection) into a muscle or under the skin.
• Given through a thin tube (a catheter) directly into the abdominal cavity (intraperitoneal chemotherapy).
• Given through a catheter directly into an organ, such as the bladder (intravesical chemotherapy).

Chemotherapy can cause side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. Some side effects go away after treatment is finished. But other side effects, such as infertility, may be permanent.

Chemotherapy (also called “chemo”) is a drug-based treatment for cancer.  Knowing what to expect in advance is one of your best weapons in your fight against breast cancer. The more knowledge you have, the more prepared you will be to collaborate with your medical team to make the best decisions about your cancer treatment. You’ll be able to better protect yourself against possible chemotherapy side effects and manage the ones that do occur effectively.

Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is sometimes used alone or in conjunction with other treatments such as radiation or surgery. It is a conventional medical strategy that can help:

• Destroy cancer cells
• Shrink tumors
• Stop cancer cells from multiplying or growing

Healthy cells also can be harmed during chemo, which can cause side effects. These cells usually repair themselves after chemotherapy.

How it's used: Chemo is a drug therapy given at home, at the hospital, or at a doctor's office. It is administered either intravenously, orally, through an injection, or by application to the skin. Depending on the type of cancer you have, chemo is used to cure your cancer, control growth, kill cells, and/or to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Side effects: The healthy cells most likely to be affected are found in bone marrow, the reproductive system, the digestive tract, and hair follicles. Your symptoms will depend on the kind and dose of medication you are taking. You may or may not experience fatigue, nausea, pain, hair loss, infection, and/or anemia.

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