The term "chemotherapy" can actually refer to any medicine taken for any condition, but most people associate it with cancer treatment.  In cancer chemotherapy, medications are taken to keep rapidly dividing cells from growing.  Rapid growth is characteristic of cancer cells, but it is also characteristic of some normal cells such as blood cells, hair cells, and cells lining the stomach and intestines.  These healthy cells are also affected by chemotherapy and are the cause of side effects.  Normal cells are usually able to heal themselves after treatment ends.  

Chemotherapy is used primarily to control cancer, to cure cancer, or to relieve the patient's symptoms.  It treats the entire body, not just the location of the tumor.  This makes it an effective weapon in the battle against cancer, but its success depends on the type and stage of the tumor.  Chemotherapy may be used before surgery, to reduce the size of the cancer and make it more operable, or after surgery, to prevent the growth of stray cancer cells.

Most chemo medications can be taken either by mouth, by injection, or intravenously (IV).  Different cancers respond to different chemotherapies, and sometimes treatment will consist of combinations of drugs.

The length, strength, and frequency of treatment depends primarily on the type of cancer and how far it has progressed.  Other factors are considered too, such as the age of the patient and his or her overall health.  Most chemotherapy drugs are given in regular intervals called cycles, but cycles vary from one drug to another.  Some are taken once a day or once a week.  Others are taken once every few days or once every day, followed by a rest period.  The number of cycles may be determined prior to treatment or may be adjusted during treatment to see how the cancer responds.  Treatment may also be altered if a child suffers serious side effects.

Side effects of chemotherapy are caused by the damage the drugs have on normal fast-growing cells.  The most common side effects include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Loss of hair
• Anemia
• Dry skin
• Mouth sores
• Increased risk of infection
• Increased bruising and bleeding
• Taste changes and loss of appetite

Certain medications can also cause damage to bodily systems and organs, including the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and reproductive organs.  This damage may not appear immediately.  However, not all chemotherapy drugs cause these side effects and not everyone responds to them the same way.  Oftentimes a child's overall health will have some bearing on the severity of the side effects.

There are more than 100 chemotherapy drugs available, and more are being developed.  These drugs are often used in combination with radiation to increase the effectiveness of treatment.  Chemotherapy is one of the main reasons why amputation is almost always avoidable because it can shrink the tumor enough to make limb salvage surgery possible.

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