Side Effects
Chemotherapy
All drugs have side effects, and most of
these effects are known. Your doctor
may order other drugs to help with
side effects. Most of the side effects are
related to the fast-growing normal cells.
These include:
• Hair loss
• Mouth sores
• Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea
and/or vomiting)
• Loose bowels (diarrhea)
• Infections
• Feeling more tired more often
(fatigue)
• Bleeding
You will be watched closely by your
doctors and nurses. We will check your
blood, do exams, and may order some
other tests as needed. Please tell us how
you are feeling.
Chemotherapy is the use of medications
(drugs) to treat cancer. It is used also to
treat some diseases that are not cancer.
Depending on the type and stage of the
cancer, chemotherapy can be used to:
• Cure the cancer
• Stop the spread of it
• Slow the growth of it
• Relieve symptoms
Types of Chemotherapy
• Combination therapy: the use of
two or more anticancer drugs
• Neoadjuvant therapy: the use of
chemotherapy before surgery and/or
radiation to shrink a tumor
• Adjuvant therapy: the use of
chemotherapy after surgery and/or
radiation
How Chemotherapy
Is Given
How Chemotherapy Works
Chemotherapy treatments may be given
in the hospital, the doctor’s offi ce, the
outpatient infusion center, or at home.
Chemotherapy is most often given
through an IV (intravenously) into a
vein. It may also be given by pills, shots
(injections), a needle or catheter directly
into the site of the cancer, or skin lotions
or creams.
Chemotherapy is given in cycles. This
lets the body rest and repair between
treatments. The doctor will talk with
you about the type and cycle of your
chemotherapy treatments, and how
often you will be having them. It is
best to follow the treatment plan and
keep all appointments. This will allow
the chemotherapy to be most effective.
An example of a cycle is Taxol ® and
carboplatin given once every 21 days for
6 times (cycles).
Chemotherapy drugs can slow the
growth of and kill cancer cells. They
work best on cells that grow fast and
divide fast. This is what cancer cells do,
but there are some normal cells that
grow this way too. Chemotherapy cannot
tell normal cells from bad cells. Cells that
normally grow fast and divide fast are:
• Hair cells
• Cells in your mouth, gums, stomach,
and bowels
• Cells in your bone marrow, which
is the spongy part on the inside of
bones
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