Chemotherapy

Definition

Chemotherapy is medicine used to destroy cancer cells. It is toxic to fast-growing cancer cells. It can also affect fast-growing healthy cells, like blood cells, the stomach lining, and hair.

Reasons for Procedure

Chemotherapy is used as a part of cancer treatment. The role it will play will be based on the type of cancer and how advanced it is. Chemotherapy may:

• Cure cancer—Cancer cells are destroyed to the point that cancer can no longer be found in the body. The cancer cells will not grow back.
• Control cancer—Chemotherapy may keep cancer from spreading or slow its growth. It may also destroy cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body.
• Ease cancer symptoms—It may be given to shrink tumors that are causing pain or pressure.

Side Effects

The medicine attacks fast-growing cells. It can also hurt healthy cells and lead to side effects. Side effects vary. The type of medicine and type of healthy cells affected will determine what symptoms there are.

Damage to healthy cells that line the mouth, stomach, and intestines can cause:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Loss of hunger
• Mouth sores

Damage to blood cells can lead to:

• Anemia—low red blood cell count
• Weakened immune system with a higher risk of infections
• Tiredness
• Easy bruising and bleeding

Hair loss may be caused by damage to cells at the hair roots.

Other areas that may be harmed:

• Nerves—damage or irritation may cause numbness and tingling in the hands and feet called peripheral neuropathy
• Kidney—medicines can pass into urine and damage kidneys
• Heart—certain medicines can harm the heart muscle
• Reproductive organs—some chemotherapy medicines may cause:
  • Infertility
  • Menstrual cycle problems

The medical team will choose a plan that works best and has the fewest problems. Other methods may also help manage problems.

What to Expect

Description of the Procedure

Medicine may be given by:

• IV—needle is placed in a vein in the arm and medicine is slowly passed into the blood
• Mouth—pills or liquids
• Injection that may be:
  • Passed into a muscle
  • Placed under the skin into fatty tissue
  • Intrathecal—injected into tissue that covers the spine and brain
  • Intra-arterial—injected into an artery that leads to the cancer
  • Intraperitoneal—injected into the area over the belly
• Topical—placed on the skin

Chemotherapy Delivery Through the Cardiovascular System

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Problems to Look Out For

Call the doctor if you have:

• Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
• White patches in your mouth or sores in the mouth, throat, or lips
• Problems swallowing
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Vomiting so much that fluids cannot stay down
• Blood in vomit
• Easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, new vaginal bleeding
• Blood in the urine (pee) or stool (poop)
• Having to urinate more often or having burning when urinating
• Chest pain
• Weakness
• Problems breathing or cough
• Calf pain, swelling, or redness in the legs or feet
• Abnormal vaginal leaking, itching, or odor
• New pain or pain that cannot be controlled with the medicines given
• Numbness, tingling, or pain in the limbs
• Joint pain, stiffness, rash, or other new problems
• Redness, swelling, pain, bleeding, or a pimple at the site of the IV
• Headache or stiff neck
• Problems hearing or seeing
• Ringing in the ears
• Exposure to someone with an illness that can spread, such as chickenpox
• Weight gain or loss of 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) or more

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.