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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.
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.
Your doctor will consider several factors when planning your treatment.
The most important of these are:
* the type of cancer you have
* where in the body the cancer is
* how far it has spread (if at all)
* your general health.
How often you have your treatment and how long the whole course
of treatment takes will depend on:
* the type of cancer you have
* the particular chemotherapy drugs you are having
* how well the cancer responds to the drugs
* any side effects the drugs may cause.
Before starting chemotherapy, you will have your height
nd weight checked. This helps the doctor to work out
the right dose of chemotherapy for you.
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Cancer Chemotherapy