Mercy Cancer Services
Chemotherapy and biotherapy
Your
team of
Mercy
doctors
and
medical
oncologists
may
determine
that
chemotherapy
should
be a
part of
your
cancer
treatment
plan.
Chemotherapy
is the
treatment
of
cancerous
diseases
with
drugs
that
interfere
with
cancer
cells
ability
to grow
or
reproduce.
Chemotherapy
has been
used for
many
years
and is
one of
the most
common
treatments
for
cancer.
It may
be used
alone
for some
types of
cancer
or in
combination
with
other
treatments,
such as
radiation
or
surgery.
Chemotherapy
is
different
from
surgical
or
radiation
therapy.
With
chemotherapy,
cancer-fighting
drugs
circulate
in a
patient's
blood to
parts of
the body
where
the
cancer
may have
spread.
It can
kill or
eliminate
cancer
cells at
great
distances
from the
original
tumors.
Because
chemotherapy
drugs
reach
all
parts of
the
body,
not just
the
cancer
cells,
there
may be
many
side
effects
during
treatment.
Being
able to
anticipate
these
side
effects
can help
you and
your
caregivers
prepare
and, in
some
cases,
prevent
these
symptoms
from
occurring.
At
Mercy,
pharmacists
and
nurses
work
with you
and your
doctor
to make
treatment
as
comfortable
as
possible.
Our
oncology
teams
work
closely
together
to
manage
dosages
and
monitor
patient
progress;
and
to
ensure
the best
formulas
and
treatment
plans to
fight
specific
diseases.
To learn more about
chemotherapy treatment,
visit Mercy's Health Information library.
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