Chemotherapy kills all fast dividing cells and this includes normal body cells as well as cancer cells. The normal bone marrow is sensitive to chemotherapy and the blood counts may drop making the patient vulnerable to infection and bleeding. This generally means that the patient has to remain in hospital for weeks following chemotherapy. However the blood counts will recover over time. Blood transfusions are likely to be given during this vulnerable period.
Chemotherapy can lead to hair loss, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Doctors will give medicine to prevent or reduce the vomiting and diarrhoea. Hair loss is not permanent and patients' hair regrows after three to four months. Sometimes a bone marrow transplant will also be recommended by the doctor. This is a way of giving larger doses of treatment. It is a very aggressive form of treatment and is therefore only recommended for young, fit patients.