Chemotherapy

The goals of chemotherapy depend on the type of cancer you have and its stage. Your doctor may recommend the treatment to:

• Eliminate all cancer cells from your body, with the goal of curing your disease.
• Control your cancer, so that it shrinks your tumor or keeps the disease from spreading.
• Ease your symptoms to help you feel better and improve your quality of life, even if your cancer isn’t considered curable.

Doctors consider the type of cancer you have, your overall health and whether you’ve had chemotherapy in the past when deciding which chemotherapy drugs to give you.

In most cases, you receive chemotherapy intravenously (through a vein). We often use a chemo port — a small implantable device that’s placed under your skin with a tube that connects to a vein — to limit the number of needle sticks and make your treatment more comfortable.

Doctors also may deliver chemotherapy medication:

• By injection into a muscle.
• By mouth.
• Into your abdominal or chest cavity or spinal canal.
• Into your tumor itself.
• Through an artery to treat a single area (for example, the liver).
• Topically (rubbed on your skin).

Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy to:

• Help other treatments, such as radiation therapy or immunotherapy, work better.
• Kill cancer cells that may remain in your body after surgery or radiation therapy.
• Shrink your tumor before you have surgery or radiation therapy.
• Treat cancer that has returned or spread in your body after initial treatment.

Treatment schedules vary depending on factors such as the goals of your treatment, the type of cancer you have and how you tolerate the therapy. Often, patients receive chemo in cycles, allowing a period of treatment followed by a period of recuperation.

Chemotherapy and all our cancer services are conveniently located on the first floor of our Lank Cancer Center. We have 10 chemotherapy infusion bays. We also have a private chemotherapy room with a bed if you need it, and several exam rooms. Chemotherapy treatments are part of our infusion therapy services.

The treatment area overlooks a healing garden. With plenty of sunlight, we designed it to be comforting and calming while maintaining your privacy.

Chemotherapy kills fast-growing cancer cells. But the treatment also may affect healthy cells. Areas that may be affected include your mouth, intestines, bone marrow and hair-growing cells. When healthy cells are damaged, you may experience side effects such as poor appetite, nausea, diarrhea or hair loss.

Sometimes side effects are minor, and some patients don’t experience them at all. Other times, side effects can be more extensive. We help you learn what to expect from your treatment. We also offer services such as nutrition counseling and pain management to help.