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Types of Treatment - Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is simply treatment with drugs that enter the body. As related to cancer, chemotherapy is the use of medications in the body to kill cancer cells, control the growth of cancer cells and relieve symptoms caused by cancer.

Types of Treatment

Ways Chemotherapy can be Administered

Depending on the type of cancer and its rate of growth, chemotherapy may involve the use of one or more drugs. Chemotherapy may also be used in combination with other treatments like surgery or radiation.

Intravenous (IV)

A needle is inserted into a vein and attached with tubing to a plastic bag holding the chemotherapy drugs. The drugs flow from the bag into the vein (blood stream) which carries the drugs to all areas of the body. The needle is then removed after each chemotherapy treatment.

Sometimes a special catheter is placed under the skin or through the skin into a larger vein and left in place until it is no longer needed.

Chemotherapy IV bags may be attached to tall, mobile stands; to small pumps which attach to the outside of your body; or to pumps which are surgically implanted into the body. The type of chemotherapy determines how it is administered.

Oral

This type of chemotherapy is given in pill or liquid form and is taken by mouth.

Injections

These treatments are administered by a needle inserted into the muscle, under the skin, or directly into a cancer lesion, depending on the type and location of the cancer.

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles: a treatment period followed by a rest period. Then this is repeated as required to treat the cancer. Most treatment is given as an outpatient in a clinic.

Side effects from chemotherapy vary depending on the type of therapies and the patient. In recent years very effective medications have been developed to help decrease or alleviate these side effects.