Chemotheraphy

Monday, 28 December 2009 02:40

WHAT IS CHEMOTHERAPY?

Chemotherapy, the use of chemicals, is a weapon that can seek out cancer cells and destroy them in different parts of the body. It is used to attack cancers that are not within reach of surgery or radiation, or to destroy cancer cells still remaining after these procedures.

More than 50 different chemotherapeutic medications now exist and new drugs and new uses for them are constantly being discovered.

There are certain common side effects such as:
 

• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• hair loss
• anemia
• reduced blood-clotting ability
• susceptibility to infections
• mouth sores.

However, not everyone experiences these side effects and for those who do, side effects disappear when treatment is stopped. Chemotherapy is available at the Oncology Unit at the Princess Margaret Hospital.