What is chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells or stop their growth and division and is one of several types of cancer treatments that use drugs against various types of cancer. Chemotherapy is supervised by an oncologist, a health care provider specializing in chemotherapy and other drugs to combat cancer.
Other drug treatments include:
- Hormone therapy: drugs that prevent some cancers from getting the hormones they need to grow.
- Immunotherapy: drugs that help the immune system fight cancer.
- Targeted therapy: drugs that change how cancer cells multiply and behave.
- The oncologist supervises the treatment. These healthcare professionals specialize in chemotherapy and other anti-cancer drugs.
- Chemotherapy may be used in combination with surgery or radiation therapy to treat cancer.
How chemotherapy works?
Cancer cells grow and divide uncontrollably. Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells and prevents them from multiplying.
An oncologist may use chemotherapy in various ways:
- Adjuvant therapy: chemotherapy destroys cancer cells after surgery or radiation therapy.
- Curative therapy: chemotherapy (which may also include radiation and/or surgery) eliminates the cancer, and it does not come back again.
- Preoperative treatment: chemotherapy shrinks the tumor before surgery or radiation therapy.
- Palliative therapy: chemotherapy shrinks tumors and relieves symptoms, but does not cure cancer.
What types of cancer can be treated with chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can treat a wide range of cancers, including:
- Primary cancer: cancer that has not spread to other areas of your body.
- Metastatic cancer: cancer that has spread to other areas of your body.
The type of chemotherapy you receive depends on several factors:
- Cancer location
- Cancer stage or extent of progression
- Your overall health
How to Prepare for Chemotherapy?
Your oncologist will ensure that you are healthy enough for treatment by conducting tests. In the meantime, you can take steps to prepare for chemotherapy.
- Learn as much as you can about your treatment: The more you know about your treatment, the better prepared you will be to cope with life during chemotherapy. Ask your oncologist about the specific chemotherapy drugs you will be receiving, including their benefits and potential side effects.
Inquire about available resources (including online resources, organizations, and support groups) where you can learn as much as possible about your treatment. - Plan for side effects: Take steps to manage potential side effects before treatment begins. For example, if you know that hair loss is possible, you can plan to get a wig that matches your current hair color and style, or buy scarves or head coverings.
Purchase skincare products with gentle ingredients if you know that skin changes and sun sensitivity are potential side effects. There are many other steps you can take to prepare. - Visit the dentist: Common side effects of chemotherapy include mouth sores and changes in taste buds that make eating less enjoyable.
You don’t want to deal with dental problems on top of these challenges. Ensure that your teeth are healthy and your mouth is free of infections before starting treatment. - Make work arrangements: You may need to adjust your work schedule during chemotherapy. Depending on your job, working remotely or taking a leave of absence may be options. You might need to take time off on treatment days.
Ask your oncologist how treatments will affect your ability to perform your job. Make arrangements with your employer based on this information. - Establish a treatment routine: Ask your oncologist what your treatment will involve, including the environment you will be in and the duration of treatment. Use this information to plan for your treatment.
For example, if treatment takes a long time, you may need to prepare a lunch or plan to entertain yourself (with a book or music, etc.). Many people snack about an hour before treatments to prevent side effects like nausea.
What Happens During Treatment?
Your experience will depend on how your oncologist manages your chemotherapy treatment.
Chemotherapy is typically systemic, meaning the chemotherapy drug travels throughout your body. You may receive systemic chemotherapy:
- Intravenously (IV): Most people typically receive chemotherapy via IV.
- As an injection.
- Orally, as pills or liquid that you swallow.
- Topically, as a cream applied to your skin.
Some types of cancer do not respond well to systemic chemotherapy. In some cases, you may need to deliver chemotherapy to a specific area of your body. Examples include:
- Intra-arterial chemotherapy: Delivered to a single artery feeding blood to a tumor.
- Intracavitary chemotherapy: Delivered directly to a cavity in the body, such as the bladder or abdomen. One form is hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), which delivers heated chemotherapy into the abdomen after surgery.
- Intrathecal chemotherapy: Delivered to the area between your brain and spinal cord.
How is Chemotherapy Administered Intravenously (IV)?
The most common method of administering chemotherapy is through an IV. Chemotherapy can go directly into a vein through:
- A needle: Typically in your arm.
- A catheter: A thin, flexible tube connected to a vein (usually in your chest).
- A small disc inserted under your skin. A catheter is connected to the port to deliver chemotherapy. Placing the port requires minor surgery.
- A pump: A device connected to a catheter or port that controls the amount of chemotherapy drug you receive.
A catheter is useful if you need multiple sessions of chemotherapy. It avoids the need for repeated needle sticks in your arm.
Your oncologist may also use the catheter to deliver other medications, such as antibiotics or anti-nausea medications.
What is the duration of chemotherapy?
The duration of chemotherapy depends on the type of chemotherapy you are receiving. A session may last from a few minutes to several hours.
Some people require continuous infusion, which can last for several days. The continuous infusion may start in the hospital or an infusion center and continue at home.
Most people need several rounds of chemotherapy. One round of chemotherapy may include treatment for several days or weeks, followed by a period without chemotherapy.
This allows your body time to recover from the treatment. Afterward, you may receive another round of chemotherapy, following the same repeated pattern of treatment and rest periods.
You may receive treatments daily, weekly, or monthly.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
Chemotherapy drugs target all rapidly growing cells, including cancer cells. This means chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells but can also damage other cells in your body, leading to potential side effects. Examples of rapidly growing cells include blood cells, skin cells, hair follicles, and the digestive system. That’s why some common chemotherapy side effects occur in these areas, including:
- Anemia
- Bleeding
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Infection
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
Talk to your care team about ways to manage the side effects of cancer treatment.
What are the benefits of chemotherapy?
Despite the potential side effects, chemotherapy has been an effective and reliable treatment for cancer for decades. It can completely rid your body of cancer or help improve your quality of life by reducing symptoms. Chemotherapy can also make other treatments, such as surgery or radiation therapy, more effective.
How long do chemotherapy side effects last?
Many chemotherapy side effects will disappear after stopping treatment. However, some chemotherapy side effects may not appear until months or years after treatment. These late side effects of chemotherapy include:
- Memory and thinking problems, known as “chemo brain”
- Early menopause
- Cardiotoxicity, or heart problems caused by cancer treatment
- Neuropathy, or symptoms of nerve damage
- Infertility
Many people find cancer rehabilitation helpful in managing the effects of cancer treatment.
Can cancer return after chemotherapy?
Cancer can return after chemotherapy or any other type of cancer treatment. After the treatment ends, your care team will often ask you to come for follow-up visits to check for the disease. Your oncologist may recommend additional rounds of chemotherapy to treat cancer if it returns.
At what stage of cancer do people receive chemotherapy?
There is no specific stage of cancer at which people receive chemotherapy. The types of chemotherapy drugs, dosage, and timing of the treatment depend on several factors. For example, you might have a type of cancer that responds to chemotherapy as a primary treatment. Or, your oncologist may recommend chemotherapy only after other treatments have failed.
Ask your oncologist about the best treatment approach for your specific case.
Is chemotherapy painful?
Most people don’t feel pain during chemotherapy sessions, especially if they are taking pills or using topical creams.
If you receive an injection or infusion, you may feel an uncomfortable prick when the needle enters.
You might experience a slight burning sensation as the medication enters your body, but this usually lessens during the treatment.
Can cancer be cured with chemotherapy?
Yes. Some types of cancer are sensitive to chemotherapy and completely disappear after treatment. Healthcare providers are cautious about using words like “cured” when it comes to cancer, as there is always a possibility of recurrence. However, many cancer survivors are currently cancer-free thanks to chemotherapy.
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