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TREATMENT > Chemotherapy
CHEMOTHERAPY
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with medication that destroys cancer cells.
Chemotherapy is usually given after surgery. The goal of chemotherapy after surgery is to destroy cancer cells that are believed to have spread from the breast to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy is intended to help reduce the risk of recurrence (the cancer coming back).
For very large breast cancers, chemotherapy may be given before surgery. The goal of chemotherapy given before surgery is to shrink the tumour so that it is easier to perform the operation.
Chemotherapy medications are usually given into a vein (intravenously), although some are available in pill form. Usually more than one medication is used at the same time. Different chemotherapy drugs work on cancer in different ways, so a multi-agent approach offers the best results. Chemotherapy treatments are usually given in cycles, which means that treatment is given every 3 or 4 weeks, typically over a period of 3 to 6 months.
Side effects may arise during chemotherapy because the medications are present throughout the body and can harm healthy cells as well as cancer cells. The dose is carefully monitored to have the most impact on the cancer while doing the least harm to healthy cells.
Some of the more common short-term side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, muscle and joint aching, diarrhea, temporary memory disturbances, infection, and menopausal symptoms. The side effects you experience will depend on the drug combination you receive. Your health care team will be able to treat or alleviate some of these, and the side effects should go away after you are finished chemotherapy. There may potentially be other, more long-term side effects of chemotherapy that your doctor will discuss with you.
Other possible side effects are changes to your reproductive system, which may affect your fertility if you are premenopausal. The effect on fertility may be temporary or it may be permanent, as in the case of treatment-induced premature menopause.
See your doctor for further discussion of possible side effects.
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