General information on chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment used for some types of cancer. This section gives information about chemotherapy. We hope that it answers some of the questions you may have about the treatment and helps you to cope with any side effects it may cause. Where cancer is mentioned, this refers to cancer, leukaemia and lymphoma.
Sometimes chemotherapy is used to treat non-cancerous conditions but often the doses are lower and the side effects may be reduced. This section does not cover the use of chemotherapy for conditions other than cancer.
The section is divided into sections about how the treatment works, how it is given and how to deal with some of the more common side effects. You are likely to have questions and concerns about your own treatment that this information does not cover, as there are over 200 different types of cancer and over 50 chemotherapy drugs, which can be given in various ways. It is best to discuss the details of your own treatment with your doctor, who will be familiar with your particular situation and type of cancer.
If you think that this information has helped you, you can show it to any of your family and friends who may find it useful. They too may want to be informed so they can help you cope with any problems you may have.
What chemotherapy is
Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells (including leukaemia and lymphoma). There are over 50 different chemotherapy drugs. Some are given on their own but often several drugs may be combined (this is known as combination chemotherapy).
The type of chemotherapy treatment you are given for your cancer depends on many things, particularly the type of cancer you have, where in the body it started, what the cancer cells look like under the microscope and whether they have spread to other parts of the body.
What is cancer?
Further information on what cancer is, the common types of cancer and how it develops is available in the About cancer section of the site.
Chemotherapy may be used alone to treat some types of cancer. Sometimes it is used together with other types of treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapies, or a combination of these.
How chemotherapy drugs work
Chemotherapy drugs can stop cancer cells dividing and reproducing themselves. As the drugs are carried in the blood, they can reach cancer cells anywhere in the body but are also taken up by healthy cells. Healthy cells can repair the damage caused by chemotherapy but cancer cells cannot and so they eventually die.
Different chemotherapy drugs damage cancer cells in different ways. If a combination of drugs is used, each drug is chosen because of its different effects. Unfortunately, as the chemotherapy drugs can also affect some of the healthy cells in your body, they can cause unpleasant side effects. However, damage to the healthy cells is usually temporary and most side effects will disappear once the treatment is over.
Healthy cells in certain parts of the body are especially sensitive to chemotherapy drugs:
- the lining of the mouth
- the bone marrow (which makes blood cells)
- the hair follicles
- and the digestive system.
Chemotherapy is carefully planned and is usually given as a series of sessions of treatment. Each session is followed by a rest period. The session of chemotherapy and the rest period is known as a cycle of treatment. A series of cycles makes up a course of treatment.
Each session of chemotherapy destroys more of the cancer cells, but the rest period allows the normal cells and tissues to recover.
Why chemotherapy is given
- To cure cancer - with some types of cancer, chemotherapy is likely to destroy all the cancer cells and cure the disease.
- To reduce the chance of a cancer coming back - chemotherapy may be given after surgery or radiotherapy so that if any cancer cells remain, but are too small to see, they can be destroyed by the chemotherapy.
- To shrink a cancer, reduce symptoms and prolong life - if a cure is not possible, chemotherapy may be given to shrink and control a cancer, or to reduce the number of cancer cells and try to reduce symptoms and prolong a good quality of life. This is known as palliative chemotherapy.
When chemotherapy is used
Before an operation - chemotherapy can be used before an operation to shrink a cancer and make it easier to remove (this is known as neo-adjuvant therapy or primary chemotherapy). It may be given to people whose cancer is too large or too strongly attached to surrounding healthy tissue to be removed easily during an operation.
After an operation - chemotherapy is sometimes given after an operation when all the visible cancer has been removed but there is a risk that tiny cancer cells, too small to be seen, may have been left behind. The aim then is to destroy these cancer cells and the treatment is known as adjuvant therapy.
Chemotherapy may also be given if a cancer cannot be completely removed during an operation. In this situation chemotherapy may not be able to cure the cancer but may shrink it and so reduce symptoms.
During radiotherapy - sometimes chemotherapy is given at the same time as radiotherapy. This is known as chemoradiotherapy or chemo-irradiation.
In advanced cancer (cancer that has spread into surrounding tissue or other parts of the body) – with some advanced cancers, chemotherapy can be given with the aim of getting rid of all the cancer and curing it. More commonly, chemotherapy is given in this situation to shrink and control the cancer, to try to extend life and control any symptoms that may occur.
High-dose chemotherapy with bone marrow transplant or stem cell support
For some types of cancer, very high-dose chemotherapy is given. This is usually done after initial chemotherapy has got rid of the cancer cells but there is a high risk of the cancer coming back. As very high doses of chemotherapy normally destroy the bone marrow (which makes blood cells), the bone marrow has to be replaced after the chemotherapy has been given. This is done using stem cells which have been collected from the bone marrow or blood. These stem cells may be collected (before the high-dose treatment) from the patient or from someone else (a donor) whose cells are a good match. This type of treatment is only useful in a few types of cancer.
This treatment is discussed in detail in a separate section on stem cell and bone marrow transplants.
Patient Information Guide: Chemotherapy
- Books
- Booklets/factsheets
- Multimedia
Book
| Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Survival Guide | |
| Author | Judith McKay & Nancee Hirano |
| Publisher | New Harbinger Publications |
| Description | Explanation of how chemotherapy works, and how drugs are given. Aims to help you cope with side effects such as nausea, digestive problems, stress, fatigue, hair loss and skin changes. |
| ISBN | 1-572240-70-9 |
| Date | 1998 |
Booklets and factsheets
| Chemotherapy | |
| Author | Royal Marsden NHS Trust |
| Description | A guide to chemotherapy as a treatment, its side effects and further sources of information. |
| Obtain from | Online at www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/RMH/cancer/furtherinformation/downloads/ |
| Chemotherapy - A guide for patients and their families | |
| Author | Christie Hospital NHS Trust |
| Description | Booklet |
| Obtain from | Online at www.christie.nhs.uk/patients/booklets/ or call 0161 446 3576. |
| Combination chemotherapy regimen | |
| Author | Cancerbackup |
| Description | Over 40 factsheets |
| Obtain from | Online version available Order from Cancerbackup |
| Individual chemotherapy drugs | |
| Author | Cancerbackup |
| Description | Over 40 factsheets |
| Obtain from | Online versions available Order from Cancerbackup |
| Mouth care during chemotherapy | |
| Author | Cancerbackup |
| Description | Factsheet |
| Obtain from | Online version available Order from Cancerbackup |
| Taxol (paclitaxel) | |
| Author | Breast Cancer Care |
| Description | Factsheet no 22 |
| Obtain from | Breast Cancer Care, Kiln House, 210 New King's Road, London SW6 4NZ Tel: 0808 800 6000 Email: info@breastcancercare.org.uk |
| URL | http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/home |
| Taxotere (docetaxel) | |
| Author | Breast Cancer Care |
| Description | Factsheet no 23 |
| Obtain from | Breast Cancer Care, Kiln House, 210 New King's Road, London SW6 4NZ Tel: 0808 800 6000 Email: info@breastcancercare.org.uk |
| URL | http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/home |
| Treatment options: Chemotherapy | |
| Author | Wessex Cancer Trust |
| Description | A leaflet specifically for breast cancer patients who are about to undergo chemotherapy, with sections on the purpose of chemotherapy, the possible side effects and how it may make a patient feel. |
| Obtain from | Wessex Cancer Trust, Bellis House, 11 Westwood Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1DL. Tel: 023 8067 2200. Fax: 023 8067 2266. |
| URL | http://www.wessexcancer.org |
| Understanding Chemotherapy | |
| Author | Cancerbackup |
| Description | Booklet |
| Obtain from | Online version available Order from Cancerbackup |
Multimedia
| Chemotherapy & Radiotherapy | |
| Author | Cancerbackup |
| Description | Video giving an overview of treatment, side effects and the methods used to alleviate them. Also available in Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu. |
| Obtain from | |
