Chemotherapy, or "chemo," is the use of drugs to treat cancer. Chemo drugs can come from different classes and can attack breast cancer in different ways. Each one has its own benefits and set of side effects that can impact your life. But by knowing your chemo options, you can better participate in treatment decisions with your doctor.
This site provides you with an overview of chemotherapy for breast cancer. It’s just a starting point. We offer a comprehensive list of resources and support services if you are seeking additional information. Learn about chemo options you might have…and spread the word to others who may be having conversations about chemo with their physicians.
Why chemotherapy is used
Chemotherapy is used to weaken or destroy the cancer in your body. Chemo is referred to as systemic treatment, which means it moves throughout your body to reach cancer cells. Because chemo works best on rapidly dividing cells—and cancer cells divide quickly—chemo can be an effective cancer treatment. But it’s not only cancer cells that divide quickly; hair and skin cells do too. That’s why many patients lose their hair when they go through chemo.
Chemotherapy can be used to:
- Reduce the size of a tumor prior to surgery or radiation therapy (neoadjuvant therapy)
- Help destroy any cancer cells that may remain following surgery or radiation therapy (adjuvant therapy)
- Improve the effect of radiation therapy or targeted therapy
- Help keep the cancer from spreading
- Fight cancer that has come back (recurred) or has spread to other parts of the body after initial treatment (metastasized)
- Help reduce pain and discomfort in advanced stages of cancer