Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells or prevent them from reproducing. Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment – meaning it enters your bloodstream and travels throughout your entire body. That’s why it’s often used for cancers that have spread.
Today, nearly all chemotherapy is given as an outpatient treatment. You don’t have to stay in the hospital. It’s usually delivered through an IV, although some drugs are given orally (in pill form) so you can take them at home.
Depending on the drug used, chemotherapy can produce various side effects. However, one of the most common side effects – nausea – can be greatly reduced with anti-nausea medications.
