Key Takeaways

  • Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to target and kill fast-growing cells. It’s primarily used in cancer treatment to reduce the number of cancer cells, shrink tumors, and alleviate symptoms.
  • While effective against cancer, chemotherapy can cause significant side effects like hair loss and nausea because it also affects healthy, rapidly dividing cells in the body.
  • Preparation for chemotherapy includes medical tests, dental checkups, and planning for potential side effects. Treatment options range from oral medication to direct delivery at a hospital or cancer center.

Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of chemical drug therapy meant to destroy rapidly growing cells in the body. It’s usually used to treat cancer, as cancer cells grow and divide faster than other cells.

A doctor who specializes in cancer treatment is known as an oncologist. They’ll work with you to create your treatment plan.

Chemotherapy is often used in combination with other therapies, such as surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy. The use of combination therapy depends on:

  • the stage and type of cancer you have
  • your overall health
  • previous cancer treatments you’ve had
  • the location of the cancer cells
  • your personal treatment preferences

Combination therapy, such as chemotherapy, can be a systemic treatment, which means it affects the entire body.

Chemotherapy has been proven to effectively attack cancer cells, but it can cause serious side effects that can severely affect your quality of life. It’s important that you weigh these side effects against the risk of not receiving treatment when deciding whether chemotherapy is right for you.

Chemotherapy is primarily used to:

  • lower the total number of cancer cells in your body
  • reduce the likelihood of cancer spreading
  • shrink tumor size
  • reduce current symptoms

If you’ve undergone surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, such as a lumpectomy for breast cancer, your oncologist may recommend chemotherapy to kill any lingering cancer cells.

Chemotherapy is also used to prepare you for other treatments. An oncologist may use it to shrink a tumor for surgical removal or to prepare you for radiation therapy.

For late stage cancer, chemotherapy may help relieve pain.

Besides treatment for cancer, chemotherapy may be used to prepare people with bone marrow diseases for a bone marrow stem cell treatment.

It may also be used for immune system disorders. Doses much lower than those used to treat cancer can be used to help disorders in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells, like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.

Chemotherapy is designed to kill cells that divide quickly. While cancer cells divide quickly, other cells in your body do this as well.

Cells in the following areas can be negatively affected by chemotherapy:

  • blood
  • hair
  • skin
  • intestinal lining

Because of this, side effects of chemotherapy can include:

  • easy bruising and excessive bleeding
  • bowel changes like diarrhea and constipation
  • dry mouth and mouth sores
  • fatigue
  • fever
  • hair loss
  • nausea and vomiting
  • infections
  • anemia
  • neuropathy
  • lymphedema
  • memory and concentration problems
  • skin and nail changes
  • insomnia
  • sexual and fertility changes

Your doctor can recommend medications, lifestyle tips, and other steps to help you manage these side effects.

Long-term effects

Most side effects of chemotherapy subside when treatment is over. But there’s also the risk of long-lasting effects that may develop even years after treatment, depending on the type of chemotherapy used.

These effects could include damage to the:

  • heart
  • kidneys
  • lungs
  • nerves
  • reproductive organs

There’s also the chance of developing a second cancer because of chemotherapy. Before beginning treatment, talk with your doctor about possible risks and symptoms to be aware of.

Chemotherapy is a serious treatment for a serious condition, so it’s important to plan ahead before beginning therapy. Your healthcare team will help you understand the potential risks and complications associated with treatment.

Before you begin therapy, you’ll undergo a series of tests to find out if you’re healthy enough for chemotherapy. The process includes examinations of your heart and blood tests to determine the health of your liver and kidneys.

These tests can also help guide your doctor in deciding which types of chemotherapy to include in your treatment plan.

Your doctor may also recommend that you visit your dentist before beginning treatment. Since chemotherapy affects your body’s ability to heal, any infection in your gums or teeth could potentially spread throughout your body.

Your doctor may install a port if you’re receiving chemotherapy through an intravenous (IV) line.

A port is a device that’s implanted in your body, typically in your chest near your shoulder. It allows for easier access to your veins and is less painful. During each treatment, the IV will be inserted into your port.

Preparation tips

Consider these preparation tips for chemotherapy treatment:

  • Make arrangements for work: Most people can work during chemotherapy, but you may want to request a lighter workload until you know what types of side effects you may be experiencing.
  • Prepare your house: Consider doing laundry, stocking up on groceries, and handling other tasks you may be unable to take care of after your first appointment.
  • Arrange for any help you might need: Getting a friend or family member to help with household chores or to help with caring for children or pets can be extremely beneficial.
  • Anticipate side effects: Talk with your doctor to learn what side effects you may experience and how to plan accordingly. If infertility could be a side effect and you want to conceive a child, you may want to store and freeze sperm, eggs, or fertilized embryos. You may want to purchase head covers or wigs if hair loss is likely.
  • Begin therapy or join a support group: Talking with someone outside of your family and circle of friends about what you’re going through can be beneficial. It can provide additional support to help calm any fears you may have about treatment.

You and your doctor can work together to consider all variables and determine your best course of treatment.

Chemotherapy is typically given in pill form or directly into veins by injection or through an IV line. In addition to these two forms, chemotherapy may also be administered in several other ways.

Chemotherapy delivery options include the following:

  • Chemotherapy can be delivered directly into the tumor, depending on the tumor’s location. If you undergo surgery to remove the tumor, your doctor can implant slow-dissolving discs that release medications over time.
  • Some skin cancers can be treated with chemotherapy creams.
  • Chemotherapy can be delivered to a specific part of the body through localized treatment, such as directly into the abdomen, chest, or central nervous system, or into the bladder through the urethra.
  • Some types of chemotherapy can be taken by mouth in pill form.
  • Liquid chemotherapy drugs can be delivered in a single injection, or you can have a port installed where a needle is inserted to deliver each treatment.

Where you receive treatment depends on your chosen delivery method. For instance, if you use creams or pills, you can give yourself treatments at home. Other procedures are usually performed at a hospital or a cancer treatment center.

Your healthcare team will tailor your chemotherapy schedule (how often you receive treatment) based on your needs. The schedule can be changed if your body doesn’t handle the treatment well. Your healthcare team can also increase or decrease the frequency of your treatments depending on how well the cancer cells respond to treatments.

Your doctor and cancer treatment team will regularly monitor the effectiveness of your treatments. Monitoring can involve routinely scheduling imaging tests, blood tests, and other evaluation methods to assess your situation. Your care team can adjust your treatment at any time.

Regularly and honestly sharing with your doctor about how chemotherapy is affecting you plays an important role in your treatment experience.

You’ll want to tell your doctor about any side effects or treatment-related problems you’re having so that they can adjust your treatment if necessary.