In addition to these two forms, chemotherapy may also be administered in several other ways. 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 chemotherapy schedule, as in how often you receive treatment, will be customized for you.
Your doctor and cancer treatment team will regularly monitor the effectiveness of your treatments. These will include imaging techniques, blood tests, and possibly more. Your doctor can adjust your treatment at any time. The more you share with your doctor about how chemotherapy is affecting you, the better your treatment experience will be.
Chemotherapy targets cancer cells, but it can affect healthy cells, too. This may lead to side effects such as anemia and hair loss. Learn more about…. Here are 10…. Hair loss is a common side effect of many chemotherapy treatments. But scientists have designed newer drugs that work more specifically to treat cancer. These treatments cause different side effects. Doctors may use these newer cancer drugs as the only drug treatment.
But they are often added to traditional chemotherapy. These types of treatment include:. Hormonal therapy. These treatments change the amount of hormones in your body. Hormones are chemicals your body makes naturally. They help control the activity of certain cells or organs. Doctors use hormonal therapy because hormone levels control several types of cancers. These include some breast and prostate cancers. Targeted therapy. These treatments target and disable genes or proteins found in cancer cells that the cancer cells need to grow.
This type of treatment helps your body's natural defenses fight the cancer. Immunotherapy is now an important part of treatment for several types of cancer and will play an increasingly important role in treatment in the future.
These printable PDFs provide an introduction to chemotherapy, answers to common questions, terms to know, and questions to ask the doctor.
Understanding Chemotherapy Approved by the Cancer. Different types of chemotherapy Treatment with these powerful drugs is called standard chemotherapy, traditional chemotherapy, or cytotoxic chemotherapy. How does chemotherapy treat cancer? Doctors use chemotherapy in different ways at different times. These include: Before surgery or radiation therapy to shrink tumors.
This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. For cancer that comes back after treatment, called recurrent cancer. For cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, called metastatic cancer. The goals of chemotherapy The goals of chemotherapy depend on the type of cancer and how far it has spread. Your chemotherapy plan There are many drugs available to treat cancer. The drugs, dose, and treatment schedule depend on many factors. The severity depends on the type of cancer and chemotherapy treatment, but the person usually regains their appetite after treatment.
People who find it too difficult to eat may need to spend time in the hospital, where healthcare professionals can provide nutrition intravenously or through a feeding tube. Fertility : Some types of chemotherapy can reduce fertility in men and women. This often, but not always, returns after treatment is over. However, people who wish to have children in the future may consider freezing sperm or embryos for later use. Pregnancy : It is not entirely clear how different types of chemotherapy may affect a growing fetus.
Chemotherapy can begin after the first trimester if a doctor considers it necessary. A woman who is pregnant will receive the last course of chemo about 8 weeks before the delivery date to reduce any risk of infection in both mother and baby around the time of birth. Because chemotherapy can have severe adverse side effects, it may be best to avoid becoming pregnant while having treatment.
A doctor can advise on suitable birth control methods. Anyone who is pregnant or who becomes pregnant during chemotherapy treatment should tell their doctor at once. Chemotherapy can also lead to diarrhea or constipation as the body expels damaged cells. Chemotherapy can also lead to difficulty with reasoning, organizing, and multitasking. Some people experience mood swings and depression.
Types of chemotherapy include :. Alkylating agents : These affect the DNA and kill the cells at different stages of the cell life cycle. Antimetabolites : These mimic proteins that the cells need to survive. When the cells consume them, they offer no benefit, and the cells starve. Antitumor antibiotics : These stop the cells from reproducing. They are different from the antibiotics people use for an infection. The doctor will recommend a suitable option for the individual.
They may recommend combining chemotherapy with other options, such as radiation therapy or surgery. How does a person know if chemo is not working? Find out here. The outlook for a person receiving chemotherapy will depend largely on the type, stage, and location of the cancer and their overall health.
In some cases, it can achieve complete remission. There can be adverse effects, however, and a person may need to adjust their lifestyle or work routine during treatment. However, these usually resolve after treatment finishes.
We look at hyperchloremia, where a high level of chloride in the blood causes an electrolyte imbalance. Included is detail on the relation to…. You might wish to eat a light meal beforehand in case your chemotherapy medications cause nausea.
Have a friend or family member drive you to your first treatment. Most people can drive themselves to and from chemotherapy sessions. But the first time you may find that the medications make you sleepy or cause other side effects that make driving difficult.
Your doctor determines how often you'll receive chemotherapy treatments based on what drugs you'll receive, the characteristics of your cancer and how well your body recovers after each treatment. Chemotherapy treatment schedules vary. Chemotherapy treatment can be continuous, or it may alternate between periods of treatment and periods of rest to let you recover.
Where you'll receive your chemotherapy treatments depends on your situation. Chemotherapy treatments can be given:. You'll meet with your cancer doctor oncologist regularly during chemotherapy treatment. Your oncologist will ask about any side effects you're experiencing, since many can be controlled.
Depending on your situation, you may also undergo scans and other tests to monitor your cancer during chemotherapy treatment. These tests can give your doctor an idea of how your cancer is responding to treatment, and your treatment may be adjusted accordingly.
Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. Chemotherapy care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
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