In this way, chemotherapy is different from local treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy, which only target specific parts of the body. Both local and systemic treatments are used to provide optimal cancer control, and the approach is tailored to the individual patient. Cervical cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy may be given one drug or a combination of two or more drugs during treatment. With combination chemotherapy, better results may be achieved while causing fewer of the side effects associated with higher doses of an individual drug. At this time, there are over 90 chemotherapy drugs used to treat different types of cancer.
Some patients experience few to no negative effects from chemotherapy.
In most cases, the benefits of treating cancer with chemotherapy far outweighs the risks or inconveniences of any side effects. The most common side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, hair loss, and fatigue. Copyright 1997-2001 Imaginis Corporation. All rights reserved. Imaginis is a registered service mark of Imaginis Corporation, a health services company.