Traditionally when people think of treatment for cancer they think of chemotherapy, however there are now a number of forms of treatments which may be given, these are referred to as systemic anti-cancer treatments or SACT, chemotherapy is one of these.
Chemotherapy is a type of anti-cancer drug treatment. These drugs work by either killing cancer cells or by stopping their ability to divide and reproduce. They work throughout your body and are called a systemic treatment.
Why is chemotherapy used?
It can be used to:
- try to cure the cancer completely (curative chemotherapy)
- make other treatments more effective – for example, it can be combined with radiotherapy (chemoradiation) or used before surgery (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy)
- reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after radiotherapy or surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy)
- relieve symptoms if a cure is not possible (palliative chemotherapy)
The effectiveness of chemotherapy varies significantly. Ask your doctors about the chances of treatment being successful for you.
How is chemotherapy used?
Different cancers are sensitive to different chemotherapy drugs. Tests taken at your diagnosis stage will help guide your consultant in what treatment will work best for you. There are many different types of chemotherapy medication but they all work in much the same way. Depending on the type of cancer you have, you may be treated with one medicine (monotherapy) or with a combination of medicines (combination therapy). There are several ways in which chemotherapy medication can be given, including tablets and injections directly into a vein (intravenous therapy).
The team caring for you will help come up with a treatment plan for your specific circumstances.
For further information, visit Macmillan Cancer Support.