When you delay or refuse surgery because of this myth, you shortchange yourself, since the complete removal of a cancer still offers the best chance for cure. People generalize about chemotherapy and tend to believe that all chemotherapy treatments are alike. Approximately 40 anti-cancer drugs are now in use. Each of these drugs has different side effects, from very mild ones to those which are more difficult to cope with. Regardless of their severity, side effects can be controlled with other medications or with behavioral treatments, such as relaxation training.
Nausea is an example.
Not all chemotherapy causes nausea, but if you are taking medication that causes nausea, you will be given additional drugs to keep this under control. This is not to say that side effects can always be totally controlled, but your doctors and nurses will work with you to help you feel as comfortable as possible. Hair loss is another example. Not all chemotherapy causes hair loss, but if it does, your hair will grow back. Chemotherapy works on cells that are dividing.