Chemotherapy treatment how does it work

In some cases, a person may be able to take the medication at home. However, they will need to make regular visits to the hospital to check their health and how they are responding to treatment.

The person must take the dose exactly as the doctor prescribes. If they forget to take a dose at the right time, they should call their doctor immediately. Sometimes, a person will need a continuous dose. This means that they may have to wear a pump that delivers the drug slowly for several weeks or months. They can wear the pump as they go about their daily life.

Chemotherapy can produce adverse effects that range from mild to severe, depending on the type and extent of the treatment.

Some people may experience few to no adverse effects. A wide range of adverse effects can occur, including:. Nausea and vomiting are typical side effects. Doctors may prescribe antiemetic drugs to help reduce the symptoms. Taking ginger or ginger supplements may help increase the effectiveness of antiemetics, according to one study.

Some people may experience hair loss , or their hair may become thin or brittle a few weeks after starting some types of chemotherapy. It can affect any part of the body. Wearing a special cap can keep the scalp cool during chemotherapy treatment, which may help prevent or reduce hair loss.

However, if the treatment needs to reach the scalp, this will not be possible. A counselor may offer advice about obtaining a hairpiece or another suitable covering. Most people find that their hair grows back once they have finished treatment.

The skin may become dry and sore and oversensitive to sunlight. People should take care in direct sunlight, including:. Learn more here. Some people may experience fatigue. They may experience this most of the time or only after certain activities. People who experience severe tiredness should talk to their doctor, as this could be a sign of anemia. The toxins in some types of chemotherapy can affect the nervous system, leading to:.

Chemotherapy can cause the number of white blood cells, which help protect the body from infection, to fall. This leads to a weakening of the immune system and a higher risk of infections. A doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help reduce the risk. This means the blood will no longer clot as well as it usually does. Other drugs interrupt the chemical processes involved in cell division.

In the centre of each living cell is a dark blob, called the nucleus. The nucleus is the control centre of the cell. It contains chromosomes, which are made up of genes. Some drugs damage cells at the point of splitting. Some damage the cells while they're making copies of all their genes before they split. Chemotherapy is much less likely to damage cells that are at rest, such as most normal cells. You might have a combination of different chemotherapy drugs.

This will include drugs that damage cells at different stages in the process of cell division. This means there's more chance of killing more cells. The fact that chemotherapy drugs kill dividing cells helps to explain why chemotherapy causes side effects. It affects healthy body tissues where the cells are constantly growing and dividing, such as:.

Because these tissues have dividing cells, chemotherapy can damage them. But normal cells can replace or repair the healthy cells that are damaged by chemotherapy.

So the damage to healthy cells doesn't usually last. Most side effects disappear once your treatment is over. Some types of chemotherapy are given by mouth, and these can be taken at home.

Chemotherapy is often given for a specific time, such as 6 months or a year. Or you might receive chemotherapy for as long as it works. Side effects from many drugs are too severe to give treatment every day. Doctors usually give these drugs with breaks, so you have time to rest and recover before the next treatment. This lets your healthy cells heal. For example, you might get a dose of chemotherapy on the first day and then have 3 weeks of recovery time before repeating the treatment.

Each 3-week period is called a treatment cycle. Several cycles make up a course of chemotherapy. A course usually lasts 3 months or more.

Some cancers are treated with less recovery time between cycles. This is called a dose-dense schedule. It can make chemotherapy more effective against some cancers. But it also increases the risk of side effects. Talk with your health care team about the best schedule for you. Intravenous IV chemotherapy. Many drugs require injection directly into a vein. This is called intravenous or IV chemotherapy. Treatment takes a few minutes to a few hours. Some IV drugs work better if you get them over a few days or weeks.

You take them through a small pump you wear or carry. This is called continuous infusion chemotherapy. Oral chemotherapy. You can take some drugs by mouth. They can be in a pill, capsule, or liquid. This means that you may be able to pick up your medication at the pharmacy and take it at home.

Oral treatments for cancer are now more common. Chemotherapy treatment schedules vary. Chemotherapy treatment can be continuous, or it may alternate between periods of treatment and periods of rest to let you recover. Where you'll receive your chemotherapy treatments depends on your situation. Chemotherapy treatments can be given:. 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 responding to treatment, and your treatment may be adjusted accordingly. Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.

Chemotherapy care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body.

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