Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to damage or destroy cancer cells. The drugs work by stopping the cancer cells from growing and multiplying.

Chemotherapy is usually given as a course of treatment over one to several days followed by a rest period of a few weeks to allow the body to recover from any side effects of the treatment.  This is called a ‘cycle’ of chemotherapy.  The number of courses given will depend on the type of cancer you have and how well it is responding to the drugs.

You may be given chemotherapy through an intravenous drip, as a hospital outpatient. Alternatively, chemotherapy may be given in the form of tablets, which means you may not need to be in the hospital. Some drugs used in chemotherapy can cause side effects, while others cause none at all. Ask the doctor what side effects to expect from the treatment.