Chemotherapy ... or chemo ... uses medicines to kill cancer cells.
The chemo medicines often travel throughout the body ...
or sometimes they can be given to the specific part of the body where the cancer is.
Chemo may help slow or get rid of the cancer ... or keep it from spreading.
The treatments can be given at different places ...
like at the hospital or a doctor's office or clinic ...
or sometimes even at home.
Depending on the type of cancer, chemo may be given in different ways ...
like into a vein through an I.V. or as pills.
You may get chemo in "cycles."
This means you get treatments for a set period of time ...
and then take a break before starting again.
Chemo helps to treat many kinds of cancer.
But it can affect healthy cells, along with the cancer cells.
So ... depending on the type of chemo you get, you may have side effects like nausea, losing your hair, or feeling tired.
Your medical team will help you manage side effects ...
like giving you medicines for nausea.
And there are things you can do at home too.
It'll help to take extra good care of yourself--to avoid getting sick--because some types of chemo weaken your body's defenses ...
so your immune system doesn't work as well.
If it's possible, adjusting your schedule can help you rest when you need to and save your energy.
Eating well ... and staying as active as you can ... may also help.
You may be able to work and do normal activities.
But talk to your doctor about what's best.
You might need to limit how much you do ... depending on how you feel.
Getting chemo is not easy ... It can bring up a lot of fears and other feelings ...
and it can take a lot out of you.
But knowing what to expect ...
and knowing you'll have support to help you feel better ...
That can help make things easier.
