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Cancer chemotherapy is a treatment that uses powerful drugs to kill cancer cells. These drugs work by targeting and destroying cells that grow and divide rapidly, which is a characteristic of cancer cells. However, because some healthy cells in the body also divide quickly, such as those in the hair follicles, digestive tract, and bone marrow, chemotherapy can affect them too, leading to side effects.
Intravenous (IV) Chemotherapy: This is the most common method, where the drugs are given directly into a vein through a needle or a catheter. This allows the medication to enter the bloodstream quickly and reach cancer cells throughout the body.
Oral Chemotherapy: Some chemotherapy drugs can be taken by mouth in the form of pills or capsules. This method is convenient as it can often be done at home.
Injection: Chemotherapy drugs can also be injected into a muscle or under the skin.
Topical Chemotherapy: For certain types of skin cancer, chemotherapy can be applied directly to the skin in the form of a cream.
Intrathecal Chemotherapy: This involves injecting the drugs into the cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds the brain and spinal cord, to treat cancers that have spread to these areas.
Chemotherapy is used for various purposes
Curative Chemotherapy: To cure cancer completely.
Adjuvant Chemotherapy: To kill any remaining cancer cells after surgery or radiation therapy.
Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: To shrink tumors before surgery or radiation therapy.
Palliative Chemotherapy: To relieve symptoms and improve quality of life when a cure is not possible.
Common side effects of chemotherapy include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and an increased risk of infections due to lowered white blood cell counts. These side effects vary depending on the type and dose of chemotherapy and the individual patient.
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