Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses medicines to destroy cancer cells.
Why it works
Normally your body makes new cells only as needed, to replace old ones that die. Cancer cells don't follow that pattern: new ones keep forming even when they aren't needed, and old ones don't die when they should. The extra cells can build up into a mass called a tumor.
Chemotherapy works by killing cancer cells, stopping them from spreading or slowing their growth. It's used to:
- treat cancer — curing it, lowering the chance it comes back, or stopping or slowing its growth;
- ease symptoms — shrinking tumors that cause pain and other problems.
Side effects
Chemotherapy doesn't only destroy cancer cells; it can also harm some healthy cells, which causes side effects. You may have many, a few or none, depending on the type and amount of chemotherapy and how your body reacts. Common ones include:
- mouth sores
- fatigue
- nausea and vomiting
- pain
- hair loss
Some side effects can be prevented or controlled — ask your health care provider how. Because healthy cells usually recover after treatment ends, most side effects go away over time.
What to expect
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where | A hospital, your provider's office, a medical clinic or at home |
| How | By mouth, as a shot, as a cream, through a catheter (thin tube) or by IV |
| How often | Every day, every week or every month — sometimes with breaks so your body can build new healthy cells |
| Alone or combined | Chemotherapy may be given by itself or with other treatments |
Your plan depends on the type of cancer, the medicines used, the goals of treatment and how your body responds.
Sources
Based on "Cancer Chemotherapy," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; summary text from the NIH's National Cancer Institute. A work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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