How chemotherapy is done?Treatment and Objectives

How chemotherapy is done?

Chemotherapy is a medical treatment to treat cancer. It uses medicines to kill cancer cells and stops the tumour from growing. Sometimes, it’s used together with other treatments like surgery or radiation. In this article, we will understand concepts like how is chemotherapy done and how long does chemotherapy lasts, providing a better understanding of what to expect during this treatment.

Goals of Chemotherapy Treatment

The purpose of chemotherapy depends on the type of cancer and its stage. Here are some primary goals of the treatment—

• As the primary treatment

Often known as “Curative Chemotherapy”, the treatment aims to eliminate cancer and prevent it from coming back.

• Before other treatments

Chemotherapy can be given before surgery or radiation therapy to shrink tumours. This can be called "neoadjuvant chemotherapy."

• After other treatments

Following surgery or radiation therapy, chemotherapy can be given to eliminate any remaining cancer cells. This is called "adjuvant chemotherapy."

• To slow cancer progression and relieve symptoms

Even when a cure isn’t possible, chemotherapy can reduce tumour size and prevent tumour growth and spread. In such cases, chemotherapy can extend survival, relieve cancer-related symptoms, and improve quality of life. This use of chemotherapy is sometimes called "palliative chemotherapy."

• Chemotherapy can be used to treat various cancer types, including cases of recurrent cancer (cancer that comes back after treatment) and metastatic cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body).