What's Chemotherapy Like?

The kinds of treatment used to fight cancer depend on the type of cancer and in how many parts of the body the cancer is found. Chemo is given on a schedule. Some people receive chemo every day. Others receive it every week or every month. Doctors use the word cycles to describe chemo because the treatment periods happen between periods of rest when a person isn't getting any treatment. These breaks allows the person's body to heal from the effects the chemo has on the cancer and on the body's normal cells.

Breaks from treatment are important because, during chemo, a person might experience some temporary health problems. These temporary problems are called side effects. All medications can have side effects. In their effort to kill cancer cells, chemo drugs can make normal cells sick. Breaks during chemo cycles allow time for normal cells to get better.

Because everyone's different, some people will have fewer side effects than others. Common side effects of chemotherapy are loss of appetite, vomiting, and temporary hair loss. A person receiving chemo also might feel tired, bruise easily, and catch infections easily.

There are medicines available that can help people feel better if they have side effects from chemo. Just having family and friends around for support can also make a person feel better. Doctors, nurses, and other members of the cancer treatment team will try to answer a person's questions, help them get well, and make them comfortable.