[{"@type":["MedicalWebPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#MedicalWebPage","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/","hasPart":[{"@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_0_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question","acceptedAnswer":[{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_0_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question_acceptedAnswer_Answer","text":"Chemotherapy has several different uses. It can\u2026\nStop cancer from spreadingKill cancer cells that have already spreadSlow down the cancer\u2019s growthRelieve pain and other side effectsShrink tumors to prepare for surgery or radiationKill any leftover cancer cells after surgery or radiationFight cancer if it comes back\nMost of the time, patients don\u2019t just receive chemotherapy. While chemotherapy can be very effective by itself, it\u2019s even more effective when combined with surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and other treatments. In addition, some patients receive more than one type of chemotherapy drug to create a more powerful effect."}],"name":"What does chemotherapy do?"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_1_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question","acceptedAnswer":[{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_1_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question_acceptedAnswer_Answer","text":"Just like antibiotics help kill bacteria in your body, chemotherapy helps kill fast-growing cancer cells. That\u2019s why it\u2019s an effective way to slow down tumors, make them smaller and even get rid of them altogether. However, chemotherapy kills normal fast-growing cells, too. As a result, some people lose their hair as a side effect of chemotherapy. Other side effects may include fatigue, nausea and mouth sores, among others. But it\u2019s important to know that everyone\u2019s body reacts differently to the treatment and that there are effective means of managing and relieving most of the unwelcome effects of chemotherapy."}],"name":"How does chemotherapy work?"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_2_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question","acceptedAnswer":[{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_2_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question_acceptedAnswer_Answer","text":"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20581%20346'%3E%3C\/svg%3E\n<img width=\"581\" height=\"346\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/physician-discussing-breast-cancer-treatment-options-with-patient.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\nChemotherapy is administered on a schedule with breaks between each dose. Sometimes the drugs are given daily, every week or every month. The breaks give your body a chance to adjust and recover from the side effects. The length of time it takes to complete chemotherapy varies depending on the type of cancer and how it responds to the drugs."}],"name":"What can I expect during treatment?"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_3_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question","acceptedAnswer":[{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_3_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question_acceptedAnswer_Answer","text":"Chemotherapy comes in many different forms. For most patients, the drugs are received via an IV tube. Others may receive injections to the spine, chest or stomach, and some are able to take chemotherapy drugs via pills, liquids and topical formulas.\nAfter receiving a treatment, some patients are able to leave the clinic and continue daily activities. Some even choose to continue working. But fighting cancer can take a toll on your body and cause some serious side effects, which is why some patients feel more comfortable resting at home."}],"name":"How do I get chemotherapy?"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_4_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question","acceptedAnswer":[{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#Highlight20260120212820258-24944_4_MedicalWebPage_hasPart_FAQPage_mainEntity_Question_acceptedAnswer_Answer","text":"Every year, more than 650,000 cancer patients receive chemotherapy from an outpatient clinic. There\u2019s no guarantee for success, but it does help you fight back. Your team of doctors and nurses will work diligently to make sure you\u2019re getting the best treatment plan possible. They\u2019ll also check on your progress throughout the course of your treatment and make adjustments as needed along the way."}],"name":"Will chemotherapy work for me?"}]}],"text":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tFighting Cancer with Chemotherapy\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tOne of the most common types of cancer treatment is known as chemotherapy, or \u201cchemo.\u201d Chemotherapy refers to a set of powerful drugs that attack and kill cancer cells. While every Regional Cancer Care Associates patient\u2019s treatment plan is different, many of them can expect to receive chemo at some point in their cancer journey.There\u2019s no doubt you\u2019ve heard a lot about chemotherapy, but you probably still have a number of questions. Fortunately, the experts at RCCA can break down some of the complexities of this treatment to provide peace of mind.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat does chemotherapy do?\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChemotherapy has several different uses. It can\u2026Stop cancer from spreadingKill cancer cells that have already spreadSlow down the cancer\u2019s growthRelieve pain and other side effectsShrink tumors to prepare for surgery or radiationKill any leftover cancer cells after surgery or radiationFight cancer if it comes backMost of the time, patients don\u2019t just receive chemotherapy. While chemotherapy can be very effective by itself, it\u2019s even more effective when combined with surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and other treatments. In addition, some patients receive more than one type of chemotherapy drug to create a more powerful effect.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tHow does chemotherapy work?\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJust like antibiotics help kill bacteria in your body, chemotherapy helps kill fast-growing cancer cells. That\u2019s why it\u2019s an effective way to slow down tumors, make them smaller and even get rid of them altogether. However, chemotherapy kills normal fast-growing cells, too. As a result, some people lose their hair as a side effect of chemotherapy. Other side effects may include fatigue, nausea and mouth sores, among others. But it\u2019s important to know that everyone\u2019s body reacts differently to the treatment and that there are effective means of managing and relieving most of the unwelcome effects of chemotherapy.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"581\" height=\"346\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/physician-discussing-breast-cancer-treatment-options-with-patient.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWhat can I expect during treatment?\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChemotherapy is administered on a schedule with breaks between each dose. Sometimes the drugs are given daily, every week or every month. The breaks give your body a chance to adjust and recover from the side effects. The length of time it takes to complete chemotherapy varies depending on the type of cancer and how it responds to the drugs.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tHow do I get chemotherapy?\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChemotherapy comes in many different forms. For most patients, the drugs are received via an IV tube. Others may receive injections to the spine, chest or stomach, and some are able to take chemotherapy drugs via pills, liquids and topical formulas.After receiving a treatment, some patients are able to leave the clinic and continue daily activities. Some even choose to continue working. But fighting cancer can take a toll on your body and cause some serious side effects, which is why some patients feel more comfortable resting at home.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tWill chemotherapy work for me?\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEvery year, more than 650,000 cancer patients receive chemotherapy from an outpatient clinic. There\u2019s no guarantee for success, but it does help you fight back. Your team of doctors and nurses will work diligently to make sure you\u2019re getting the best treatment plan possible. They\u2019ll also check on your progress throughout the course of your treatment and make adjustments as needed along the way.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t","description":"Chemotherapy is one of the most common and effective ways to treat cancer. Whether you\u2019re newly diagnosed or getting ready for your first treatment, visit the RCCA website to learn more about chemotherapy.","name":"Fighting Cancer with Chemotherapy","about":[{"name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Organization_regionalcancercareassociates_c217fd8101ddf85b10446ca35ed1b53844cc4b736d6541d8534bc6ca03f2e185","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":"http:\/\/www.crunchbase.com\/organization\/regional-cancer-care-associates"},{"name":"chemotherapy","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_chemotherapy_6fb47b65c9f478cb32d34f401729fd2f645d90821ecf4980e3bbedf69d6f00a0","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/0217g","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q974135","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chemotherapy"]},{"name":"cancer","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_cancer_656a9c3c6851ec3c6750ea4328d4ee673c5edb197d2531929f380560398782e1","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/0qcr0","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q12078","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cancer"]}],"mentions":[{"name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Organization_regionalcancercareassociates_c217fd8101ddf85b10446ca35ed1b53844cc4b736d6541d8534bc6ca03f2e185","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":"http:\/\/www.crunchbase.com\/organization\/regional-cancer-care-associates"},{"name":"chemotherapy","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_chemotherapy_6fb47b65c9f478cb32d34f401729fd2f645d90821ecf4980e3bbedf69d6f00a0","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/0217g","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q974135","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chemotherapy"]},{"name":"cancer","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_cancer_656a9c3c6851ec3c6750ea4328d4ee673c5edb197d2531929f380560398782e1","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/0qcr0","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q12078","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cancer"]},{"name":"treatment of cancer","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_treatmentofcancer_24e1e2a4771afc804e9bee319fe453c3ff6c890e08582850791fddb7cf2c87aa","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/09gfv0s","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q2575340","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer"]},{"name":"cancer cell","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_cancercell_b36664d1c03da61a7647d182b2427536bc5c10f70b5785146bb5d51230a505de","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q4118072"},{"name":"medical treatment","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_medicaltreatment_1692723a45376db557bb075f084234aaed13c6ea903f27d9b47053e3bed59149","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/03c1dkx","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q179661","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Therapy"]},{"name":"pain","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_pain_8856024d1f00a0e586536c88c3bda43bb5b13812db90f9a0cebc8e069d576a17","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/062t2","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q81938","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pain"]},{"name":"drug","@id":"https:\/\/entity.schemaapp.com\/Advance_Local_Media\/Regional_Cancer_Care_Associates\/Thing_drug_ec2d731a8878c146795bc5722b0af3e5428127050699a786bf46c117ca7164c2","@type":"Thing","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/g.co\/kg\/m\/02kjb_","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q8386","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Drug"]}]},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Chemotherapy","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/treatments\/chemotherapy\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]