When cancer occurs, cells reproduce uncontrollably and do not die when they should. As a part of the body produces more and more of these abnormal cells, they start to occupy the space that useful cells previously took up. Chemotherapy drugs interfere with a cancer cell’s ability to divide and reproduce.
Full Answer
What is chemotherapy and how does it work?
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells.
Why does chemotherapy cause cancer cells to divide faster?
Because cancer cells usually grow and divide faster than normal cells, chemotherapy has more of an effect on cancer cells. However, the drugs used for chemotherapy are powerful, and they can still cause damage to healthy cells. This damage causes the side effects that are linked with chemotherapy.
What is a cell cycle specific chemotherapy drug?
Some chemotherapy medicines can kill a cell during any phase of the cell cycle. They are called cell-cycle nonspecific agents. Other chemotherapy medicines kill cancer cells only during a certain phase. They are also not able to work in the resting phase. These are called cell-cycle specific agents.
Does chemotherapy kill cancer cells in the resting phase?
Other chemotherapy medicines kill cancer cells only during a certain phase. They are also not able to work in the resting phase. These are called cell-cycle specific agents. Kill cancer cells at all phases of the cell cycle, including the resting phase.
What is chemotherapy treatment for cancer most likely to cause?
Here are some of the more common side effects caused by chemotherapy:Fatigue.Hair loss.Easy bruising and bleeding.Infection.Anemia (low red blood cell counts)Nausea and vomiting.Appetite changes.Constipation.More items...•
What is chemotherapy treatment for cancer?
Overview. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body. Many different chemotherapy drugs are available.
What chemotherapy does to the body?
Chemotherapy kills cells that are in the process of splitting into 2 new cells. Body tissues are made of billions of individual cells. Once we are fully grown, most of the body's cells don't divide and multiply much. They only divide if they need to repair damage.
How does chemotherapy affect cancer cells?
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. This type of cancer treatment works by keeping cancer cells from growing, dividing, and making more cells. Chemotherapy can be used as a treatment for many different cancers.
What are cytotoxic effects?
Once inside the body, their potentially cytotoxic effects include spontaneous adsorption of proteins, interaction with cell membranes, DNA, lipids, and proteins. These can elicit various bioeffects such as apoptosis, cell membrane disruption, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
What's in chemotherapy drugs?
Drugs in this group include 5-fluorouracil, 6-mercaptopurine, cytarabine, gemcitabine, and methotrexate, among many others. Anthracycline chemotherapy attacks the enzymes inside cancer cells' DNA that help them divide and grow.
Why is chemotherapy important?
The aim of chemotherapy after surgery or radiotherapy is to lower the risk of the cancer coming back in the future. This is called adjuvant treatment. The chemotherapy circulates throughout your body and kills off any cancer cells that have broken away from the main tumour before your operation.
What happens after first chemo treatment?
The most commonly reported side effect after receiving chemotherapy is fatigue. 7 Give yourself time for extra rest and sleep in the days after a session. Tell your healthcare provider if your fatigue begins to affect your ability to function or complete basic tasks, like bathing.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation?
What Are Common Side Effects of Chemo and Radiation?Fatigue. Tiredness (fatigue) is the most common side effect of both chemotherapy and radiation. ... Pain. ... Mouth, Gum, and Throat Sores. ... Gastrointestinal Problems. ... Skin Changes. ... Weight Changes. ... Hair Loss. ... Kidney and Bladder Problems.More items...
What is a common side effect of chemotherapy because it targets fast growing cells?
The fast-growing normal cells most likely to be affected by chemotherapy are blood cells forming in the bone marrow, and cells in the digestive tract, reproductive system, and hair follicles. Common side effects of chemotherapy include fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, mouth sores, hair loss, and anemia.
How does chemotherapy help with cancer?
To ease signs and symptoms. Chemotherapy may help relieve signs and symptoms of cancer by killing some of the cancer cells. Doctors call this palliative chemotherapy.
What is the purpose of chemotherapy?
After other treatments, to kill hidden cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be used after other treatments, such as surgery, to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body. Doctors call this adjuvant therapy. To prepare you for other treatments. Chemotherapy can be used to shrink a tumor so that other treatments, such as radiation and surgery, ...
Why is chemo used for bone marrow transplant?
Chemotherapy is often used to prepare for a bone marrow transplant. Immune system disorders. Lower doses of chemotherapy drugs can help control an overactive immune system in certain diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
What is the treatment for cancer?
Overview. Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body. Many different chemotherapy drugs are available.
How to prepare for chemo?
Prepare for your first treatment. Ask your doctor or chemotherapy nurses how to prepare for chemotherapy. It may be helpful to arrive for your first chemotherapy treatment well rested. You might wish to eat a light meal beforehand in case your chemotherapy medications cause nausea.
What to ask your doctor about chemo?
Ask your doctor if you'll need time off work or help around your home after treatment. Ask your doctor for the details of your chemotherapy treatments so that you can make arrangements for work, children, pets or other commitments.
How long after chemo do side effects appear?
Chemotherapy drugs can also cause side effects that don't become evident until months or years after treatment. Late side effects vary depending on the chemotherapy drug but can include:
How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy is a group of medications used to treat cancer and sometimes other conditions. They kill cancer cells by disrupting their reproductive cycle and stopping them from multiplying. Chemo drugs can be administered intravenously into your bloodstream, taken orally, applied topically, or injected as a shot. They are effective at treating cancer, but can affect healthy cells in the process, leading to side effects like hair loss and fatigue.
Why is chemotherapy so effective?
The reason chemotherapy is so effective in killing cancer cells is that these types of cells divide quickly and reproduce rapidly to form a mass commonly known as a tumor. These tumors overtake normally functioning cells and tissues. As these masses of cells grow larger, they can create obstructions or interfere with the normal function of tissue. 1
What is metronomic chemo?
A new type of chemo treatment called metronomic chemotherapy involves the use of continuous or regular low doses of chemotherapy over a longer period of time. The goal is to stop the growth of new blood vessels that feed cancer cells while causing less severe side effects than traditional chemotherapy regimens. 9
What is the name of the treatment for cancer?
Chemotherapy is a group of medications used to treat cancer and sometimes other conditions. In cancer, chemotherapy —oftentimes simply called "chemo"—works by killing cancer cells.
Where do you register for chemo infusion?
You will register at the chemotherapy infusion center, just as you would check in for a doctor's appointment.
How long does chemo last?
There are many factors to consider when determining the length and frequency of a chemotherapy cycle, and each cycle can last for several months or even as long as a year. 6
What is adjuvant therapy?
Adjuvant therapy: This is when chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells after a surgical or radiation treatment, or along with other treatments.
What Happens During Chemotherapy?
During a chemotherapy appointment, your healthcare provider will explain the drug being used, how long treatment will last, and which side effects may occur.
How does chemo work?
Chemotherapy works by targeting and killing fast-growing cells in the body. It does this by interrupting the cell cycle.
How Does It Work?
Chemotherapy fights cancer by targeting and killing fast-growing cells in the body. This is because cancer cells grow and divide quickly. Unfortunately, that means that chemotherapy also targets healthy cells in the body. When healthy cells are destroyed, side effects occur.
Why is chemo considered a systemic treatment?
Chemotherapy is considered a systemic treatment because the medication travels throughout your body. This is different from surgery that affects one specific area of the body.
How long does chemo take?
The length of your treatment will depend on several factors, including your type of cancer, how advanced it is, your overall health, and how your body is responding to the current treatment. There is no set time limit on chemotherapy treatment. Talk with your medical team about the right treatment schedule for you.
How long does it take for chemo to break down?
It takes about 48 to 72 hours for your body to break down chemotherapy after treatment. 3 During this time, it’s important to take extra precautions to protect yourself and anyone else in your household.
What to expect between chemo appointments?
Between your chemotherapy appointments, you will continue to see your medical team and undergo testing to determine if the current treatment is effective. The time between your appointments is also a time to rest and allow your body to recover from the treatment. If you plan to continue working throughout your chemotherapy treatment, talk with your medical team about what to expect and how best to adjust your workload based on your treatment plan and prognosis.
How does chemotherapy work?
Cancer cells keep growing, not knowing when to stop. RNA and DNA in the cell tell it how to grow and reproduce. Chemotherapy hurts the RNA or DNA, which stops the cancer from growing.
How does chemotherapy affect the cell cycle?
Some chemotherapy medicines can kill a cell during any phase of the cell cycle. They are called cell-cycle nonspecific agents. Other chemotherapy medicines kill cancer cells only during a certain phase. They are also not able to work in the resting phase. These are called cell-cycle specific agents.
What is the cell cycle?
The cell cycle is the way a cell copies itself to make more cells. This happens in phases:
When is chemotherapy given?
Your treatment may include more than one type of therapy (surgery, radiation, chemo, etc.). Common terms used to describe chemotherapy treatments:
What is a regimen?
The regimen describes the combination of chemotherapies you will get. A combination is given because different chemotherapies can work well together. Regimens can be given “nicknames” based on the chemotherapies used in them. For example, the regimen called “CHOP” contains the medications C ytoxan, H ydroxydaunorubicin (also called Adriamycin), O ncovin, and P rednisone.
How often can you give chemo?
They may be given in “divided doses” or given multiple times. For example, once a day for 5 days, or every 3 hours for 4 doses. They can also be given as a nonstop infusion. This is an infusion that runs for several hours or more. Some chemotherapy infusions are given over several days.
What is neo adjuvant therapy?
Neo-adjuvant Therapy: chemotherapy given before surgery to shrink the tumor. This is to help the surgery be more successful.
How long is a chemotherapy cycle?
Treatment cycles and courses of treatment. Cancer drugs such as chemotherapy are usually given in cycles over several months. A series of cycles is called a course of treatment.
What is a cycle in cancer treatment?
A cycle means that you have a single cancer drug or a combination of drugs and then have a rest to allow your body to recover. You might have some chemotherapy injections over a day or two and then have some time with no treatment. The treatment and rest time make up one treatment cycle.
Overview
- Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body. Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body. Many different chemotherapy drugs are available. Chemotherapy drugs can be used alone or in combination to treat a...
Why It's Done
- Chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells in people with cancer. There are a variety of settings in which chemotherapy may be used in people with cancer: 1. To cure the cancer without other treatments.Chemotherapy can be used as the primary or sole treatment for cancer. 2. After other treatments, to kill hidden cancer cells.Chemotherapy can be used after other treatments, such a…
Risks
- Side effects of chemotherapy drugs can be significant. Each drug has different side effects, and not every drug causes every side effect. Ask your doctor about the side effects of the particular drugs you'll receive.
How You Prepare
- How you prepare for chemotherapy depends on which drugs you'll receive and how they'll be administered. Your doctor will give you specific instructions to prepare for your chemotherapy treatments. You may need to: 1. Have a device surgically inserted before intravenous chemotherapy.If you'll be receiving your chemotherapy intravenously — into a vein — your docto…
What You Can Expect
- Determining which chemotherapy drugs you'll receive
Your doctor chooses which chemotherapy drugs you'll receive based on several factors, including: 1. Type of cancer 2. Stage of cancer 3. Overall health 4. Previous cancer treatments 5. Your goals and preferences Discuss your treatment options with your doctor. Together you can decide what… - How chemotherapy drugs are given
Chemotherapy drugs can be given in different ways, including: 1. Chemotherapy infusions.Chemotherapy is most often given as an infusion into a vein (intravenously). The drugs can be given by inserting a tube with a needle into a vein in your arm or into a device in a vein in …
Results
- You'll meet with your cancer doctor (oncologist) regularly during chemotherapy treatment. Your oncologist will ask about any side effects you're experiencing, since many can be controlled. Depending on your situation, you may also undergo scans and other tests to monitor your cancer during chemotherapy treatment. These tests can give your doctor an idea of how your cancer is …
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiesof tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.
Definition
- Chemotherapy is a group of medications used to treat cancer and sometimes other conditions. In cancer, chemotherapy—oftentimes simply called "chemo"—works by killing cancer cells. Each type of chemotherapy drug does this a little bit differently, at a different time in the cell's reproductive cycle. Some drugs may affect the genes as the cell is ab...
Conditions Treated
- Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, but chemo drugs may also be used to treat autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system is overactive and attacks healthy cells by mistake, including:2 1. Lupus 2. Addison's disease 3. Multiple sclerosis 4. Grave's disease 5. Rheumatoid arthritis
Who Administers Chemo
- If your chemo is used to treat cancer, your oncologist, a doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, will oversee your treatment. If chemo is used to treat other conditions, it will be administered by doctors who specialize in treating those conditions. For example, for lupus, it will be a rheumatologist.3
Types
- There are hundreds of types of chemotherapy, and your doctor will choose one or more based on the type, location, and stage of your cancer or other disease. Chemotherapy comes in a variety of forms that can be given:4 1. Orally 2. Intravenously (IV, through a vein) 3. Topically (on the skin) 4. Injected as a single shot Most chemotherapies are given systemically—meaning they impact th…
Process
- For chemotherapy given intravenously, the type and duration of your therapy and how you will receive your medication will be set when you are ready to start treatment. In the past, chemotherapy was administered in an inpatient setting, but now most therapies take place as outpatient treatments in special offices or facilities. In most cases, a nurse or infusion specialis…
How to Prepare
- Before you start chemotherapy, one of the first things you and your medical team will discuss is how you will get your chemotherapy medication. If it's oral, topical, or by way of injections, the medications can be taken fairly simply. If your chemotherapy is intravenous, you will need to visit a facility for regular infusions. When chemotherapy is given through a vein, it may be more conv…
Side Effects
- Not everyone experiences side effects from chemotherapy, and how severe the side effects are can vary from one person to the next. Even if you do have side effects, your medical team will likely prescribe additional medications to help you manage them. Since chemotherapy medications target cells in their reproductive phase, other healthy cells that undergo rapid repro…
Outcomes and Recovery
- There is no definitive prognosis for any type of cancer—with or without chemotherapy. Your prognosis depends on several factors:10 1. Type of cancer 2. Location of the cancer 3. The stage of your cancer when it's detected 4. The grade of the cancer 5. Traits of your specific cancer cells 6. Age 7. Overall health at the time of diagnosis 8. Response to treatment A medication or treat…
Summary
- Chemotherapy is a group of medications used to treat cancer and sometimes other conditions. They kill cancer cells by disrupting their reproductive cycle and stopping them from multiplying. Chemo drugs can be administered intravenously into your bloodstream, taken orally, applied topically, or injected as a shot. They are effective at treating cancer, but can affect healthy cells i…
A Word from Verywell
- Cancer is a scary diagnosis, and chemotherapy isn't easy. While chemo doesn't work for everyone, it's a tried-and-true therapy that works well for many types of cancers. Your doctors can help guide you through the process, help relieve side effects, and offer you support along your journey. It's important to embrace your support system—including people who are receiving infusions alongs…