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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffChemotherapy 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 wide variety of cancers.
Though chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of cancer, chemotherapy treatment also carries a risk of side effects. Some chemotherapy side effects are mild and treatable, others can cause serious complications.
- Freter CE, et al. Systemic therapy. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:449.
- Chemotherapy and you: Support for people with cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/chemotherapy-and-you/allpages/print. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- Part I: Understanding chemotherapy. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Library/Cancer.Net+Features/Treatments%2C+Tests%2C+and+Procedures/Part+I%3A+Understanding+Chemotherapy. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- Part III: Side effects of chemotherapy. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Library/Cancer.Net+Features/Treatments%2C+Tests%2C+and+Procedures/Part+III%3A+Side+Effects+of+Chemotherapy?cpsextcurrchannel=1. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- Part II: Chemotherapy - Your personal experience. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Library/Cancer.Net+Features/Treatments%2C+Tests%2C+and+Procedures/Part+II%3A+Chemotherapy%26mdash%3BYour+Personal+Experience?cpsextcurrchannel=1. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- What are the different ways to take chemotherapy? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4X_What_Are_The_Different_Ways_To_Take_Chemotherapy.asp?sitearea=ETO. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- Chemotherapy: What it is, how it works. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_2X_Chemotherapy_What_It_Is_How_It_Helps.asp. Accessed Jan. 22, 2009.
- Learning more about your disease. National Marrow Donor Program. http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Undrstnd_Disease_Treat/Lrn_about_Disease/index.html. Accessed Jan. 27, 2009.
- Methotrexate (Rheumatrex). American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/medications/methotrexate.asp?aud=pat. Accessed Jan. 27, 2009.
- Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/medications/cyclophosphamide.asp?aud=pat. Accessed Jan. 27, 2009.
