CANCER DRUG THERAPY

Drug therapy, also called chemotherapy, is used against a wide variety of cancers. Chemotherapy has proved especially effective in treating leukemia, lymphoma, and testicular cancer. Cancer cells divide much more rapidly than normal cells. Therefore, many cancer drugs are designed to interfere with cell division.

Chemotherapy causes side effects by injuring the normal body cells, especially those that divide most rapidly. Rapidly dividing normal cells include blood-forming cells, cells that line the intestines, and hair-forming cells. Damage to blood-forming cells may increase a patient's risk of developing anemia or an infection. Injury to intestinal cells may cause nausea and vomiting. Disruption of hair-forming cells can cause hair loss. Researchers work constantly to develop drugs that reduce harm to normal cells.

Effective chemotherapy usually involves combinations of drugs. Doctors combine drugs that have different methods of acting on cancer cells and that produce different side effects. Combination therapy reduces the chance that cancer cells will develop resistance to the drugs. It also helps avoid serious side effects from large doses of a single drug.

Treatment Methods

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Treatment
Suggested questions for cancer patients to ask their doctors about treatment choices and the possible side effects of treatment.

Types of Treatment
Information on chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, and other cancer treatment methods.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies used in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer care.
Cancer Treatment Scams
Information from the Federal Trade Commission for cancer patients about how to spot false health claims and the importance of talking with their physicians about treatments they are considering.

Cancer Treatment Facilities

How To Find a Doctor or Treatment Facility If You Have Cancer
A fact sheet that offers suggestions for choosing a physician and facility for cancer treatment.
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers
NCI-Designated Cancer Centers develop and translate scientific knowledge from promising laboratory discoveries into new treatments for cancer patients. They are at the forefront of NCI-supported efforts at universities and cancer research centers across the United States. Find a center near you and learn about their research capabilities and patient services.
Cancer Clinical Trials at the NIH Clinical Center
A fact sheet about cancer clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.