Chemotherapy
Using anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells.
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Receiving cancer treatment and feel unwell? Contact the acute oncology helpline.
Chemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. Cytotoxic means toxic to cells. Cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow and divide.
Most chemotherapy drugs are carried in the blood. This means they can reach cancer cells anywhere in the body.
Chemotherapy drugs also affect some of the healthy cells in your body. These healthy cells can usually recover from damage caused by chemotherapy. But cancer cells cannot recover, and they eventually die.
Because chemotherapy drugs can affect some of the healthy cells in your body, this can cause side effects. Most side effects will go away after treatment finishes.