2000 UAMS Arkansas Cancer Research Center Overview Chemotherapy is one type of treatment for cancer.
Cancer treatments work on different levels within and around the cell.
Chemotheraputic agents work mainly on DNA, while biological agents are able to work either directly on DNA, or through second messenger signaling routes. Induction chemotherapy is a treatment therapy used as the primary treatment of an advanced neoplasm that no other possible treatment exists. This type of treatment is selected to prevent the possible reoccurrence of cancer by metastasis. Primary chemotherapy treatment is selected when there are alternative treatments for local cancers, but the other treatments are not as effective as the primary chemotherapy treatment. Biological agents are able to be administered orally or intravenously, depending on the nature of the agent.