Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be a single medication or a combination of medications. Chemotherapy kills growing cancer cells. Chemotherapy is given in cycles. First you have a treatment. Then time is set aside for the body to build healthy cells before the next treatment. During this resting time, the body goes through different phases as it mends. One phase is the nadir period. During the nadir period, certain blood cells decrease in number. Your doctor or nurse will help you learn what to expect during this phase of your cycle.
The goals of chemotherapy:
- to cure cancer,
- cause remission (no active symptoms of disease),
- kill any cancer cells remaining after surgery,
- control cancer for a period of time
- and to reduce symptoms such as pain.