Chemotherapy uses chemicals or drugs in order to treat a disease. The drug that has been administered into an individual’s body –both orally or by an injection – flows through the bloodstream and is able to successfully force its way into every part of the body. By doing so, it is able to meet up with and attack cancer cells. It works essentially because it is cytotoxic, meaning that it is able to poison cells that reproduce quickly such as cancer cells.
When is Chemotherapy used?
1) Chemotherapy is being used right after surgery or radiotherapy, known as adjuvant chemotherapy.
v After surgery or radiotherapy has eliminated the majority of the tumor, the drugs are dispensed to destroy any remaining microscopic cells.
v The purpose of this is to get rid of the few circulating cancer cells before they grow into secondary tumors.
v It is only given to patients whose disease has a great chance of recurrence.
2) Chemotherapy is being used before surgery, known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
v Sometimes chemotherapy is used before surgery with the intention of shrinking the tumor to make it easier to work with during operations.
