This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Maurie Markman, MD, President, Medicine & Science at CTCA.
This page was updated on April 29, 2022.
Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatment options for many cancers. These anti-cancer drugs work by targeting rapidly growing cancer cells either throughout the body or in a specific area of the body.
When chemotherapy drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells, it's known as systemic chemotherapy. When the drugs are directed to a specific area of the body, it's called regional chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy may be used:
Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs to destroy rapidly rapidly dividing cancer cells or slow their growth.
How and where chemotherapy drugs may be given depends on a variety of clinical factors and personal preferences. You may receive your chemotherapy at home, in a clinic or outpatient care center, at a hospital or doctor’s office.
Chemotherapy drugs may be administered:
Chemotherapy drugs are very powerful and may cause side effects in caregivers and family members who come in contact with them. Patients should talk to their doctor before deciding whether to administer their own chemotherapy drugs (in pill, liquid or cream form), or whether to have them given by a medical professional. Patients who may require frequent injections or infusions may opt to get a port or catheter through which drugs may be administered more efficiently and with less pain. How your chemotherapy drugs are administered depends on a variety of factors, including:
Depending on your treatment needs, chemotherapy drugs may be given in combinations, in addition to, or before and/or after other treatments, such as surgery, targeted therapy or radiation therapy. At Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), our medical oncologists and cancer care experts are trained in diagnosing cancer and delivering chemotherapy drugs. They will work closely with you and the rest of your care team to discuss chemotherapy options based on your individual needs.
Like every patient and every cancer, every chemotherapy treatment plan is different and tailored to the patient’s specific disease, treatment goals and personal preferences. If chemotherapy is part of your treatment plan, your medical oncologist and care team will talk to you about your options and coordinate your dosage and schedule. In most cases, chemotherapy is administered in time frames called cycles. The length of your cycle and the dosages recommended within each cycle depends on many factors, including your diagnosis and treatment goals.
If you choose to administer your own chemotherapy drugs, talk to your doctor about your dosage schedule, amounts and safety protocols for handling drugs. If infusion is the best option, your care team can tell you when and where to go and how long the treatments will take.
Since infusion sessions may take several hours, you may want to prepare for a long visit to the clinic, infusion center, hospital, or wherever your treatment is taking place.
Drink plenty of fluids before during and after your sessions. Consider whether you will be able to work during your chemotherapy cycle.
Wear loose fitting clothes that allow easy access to a port or catheter. Consider bringing a blanket and pillow.
Before you decide that chemotherapy is the right treatment for you, it’s important to be informed and learn as much as you can about the risks and benefits and what to expect. Don’t hesitate to ask your cancer care team any questions you may have to help you prepare.
The American Cancer Society offers a helpful and comprehensive list of questions you may ask your doctor or nurse before starting chemotherapy treatment. Some of those questions include:
Whether you’ve completed your first chemotherapy session or an entire cycle, expect to follow-up with your medical oncologist or other members of your care team. If and when you need a follow-up visit depends on your specific needs and where you are in your treatment.
Chemotherapy may weaken your immune system. Stay out of crowded spaces and avoid people you know are sick or may be sick. Wash hands frequently.
Chemotherapy drugs may be passed on to others. These drugs may be found in body fluids, including mucus, sweat, tears, semen, urine, vomit or stool. Keep bathrooms clean and immediately wash towels or clothing that may have fluids on them. Caregivers should wash hands frequently and wear double gloves when necessary.
Throughout your treatment, your medical oncologist will monitor the progress of your chemotherapy regimen and modify your treatment plan accordingly.
Integrative care helps patients manage side effects with therapies like nutritional support and oncology rehabilitation.
Because chemotherapy drugs kill rapidly growing cancer cells, they also can harm healthy cells in the process. This can cause several different side effects.
It’s important to remember that your reaction to chemotherapy may be different from someone else’s, even when taking the same chemotherapy regimen. The severity of these side effects depends on your health, age and the type of chemotherapy drugs given.
Chemotherapy side effects may include:
Your chemotherapy prep checklist
Planning ahead for chemotherapy treatments may help make you more comfortable, keep track of important information and limit the number of things you’ll have to do after treatment.
At CTCA®, our medical oncologists work closely with integrative care providers who offer services intended to help manage your side effects and improve your quality of life. Supportive care services that may be helpful to chemotherapy patients under certain circumstances include:
During treatment with chemotherapy, you’ll visit your doctor often to determine how the treatment is going, how it’s affecting you and how well it’s doing its job and destroying cancer. During your visits, you may need to have several tests and exams, such as blood tests or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, to see how well your treatment is working. Your doctor is the best resource to ask about the results of chemotherapy. He or she will keep you updated on your treatment's progress.
While you should pay close attention to your side effects and share them with your doctor, you should not assume that their severity is associated with the treatment's success. In fact, side effects are not at all related to how well the chemotherapy is working.
