There are many things to consider when deciding with your doctor the chemo treatment options that may be available to you. Take the time to learn about and understand the different classes of medication, how they work, and the effect they may have on your body. Your decision is important, and it is one that you should have a strong voice about as you share your thoughts and opinions with your doctor. So take your time, learn all you can, and talk to your doctor about the chemo options that are best for you.
How will my doctor and I know which chemo is right for me?
When considering which options you have and the likelihood of benefiting from different chemo options, you and your doctor will need to take into account how far your breast cancer has advanced and establish the goals of your treatment. Depending on the stage of your cancer and treatment, the goal may be:
- To shrink a tumor and make it operable
- To control the cancer and help keep it from spreading
- To slow the cancer growth
- To prevent recurrence
- To relieve symptoms that the cancer may cause and help you live more comfortably
Once this is established, your doctor will likely consider a number of different chemo options. Depending on the specific action and side effect profile of each drug, you and your doctor can decide which chemo may be best for you. Learn how to be most effective when talking to your doctor about chemotherapy.
Classes of chemo drugs, how to pronounce them, and how they work…
There are several types of chemo used for breast cancer treatment. Refer to the chart below to see some of them.
There are different formulations of some of the chemotherapy drugs listed above.
Please talk to your doctor about which of these options may be right for you.
Alkylating agents (al-ka-LAYT-ing AY-jints)
One of the first cancer-fighting therapies, this class of drugs destroys cancer cells by interfering with their genetic makeup, thereby stopping the cells from dividing and growing. These drugs can also make it difficult for cancer cells to repair themselves.- Back to top
Antimetabolites (an-tee-met-AB-oh-lites)
This group of drugs falsely acts as a cell nutrient needed by cancer cells to grow. When taken in by a cancer cell, antimetabolites starve the cell and cause it to die. - Back to top
Anti-tumor antibiotics
Also known as anthracyclines (an-thra-SY-kleenz), these are not the same as antibiotics that are used to treat bacterial infections. Rather, these drugs interfere with the cancer cell’s DNA, preventing the cell from growing and dividing. - Back to top
Anti-microtubular agents
Also known as mitotic inhibitors, this class of drugs (including taxanes, vinca alkaloids (AL-ka-loydz), and epothilones) stops cancer cells from growing and dividing by interfering with certain cell structures and killing the cancer cells. They can slow tumor growth and even temporarily stop tumor growth altogether. Taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) are one of the most commonly used types of chemo for the treatment of breast cancer. Because not all drugs in this class are delivered the same way, talk to your doctor about your treatment options.- Back to top
I want to learn about how side effects may affect me.