How People Receive Chemotherapy
People may receive chemotherapy one of the following four ways, or a combination of them:
- Intravenous (IV) infusion
- Pill
- Injection or shot
- Intrathecal and intraventricular injection, which means a shot into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord or brain
Although some chemotherapy requires IV administration, patients now receive many types of chemo at home. Through instruction, you and your family members can learn how to administer chemotherapy in pill form or by injection with small syringes and needles similar to those that people with diabetes use to administer insulin.
In some cases, a nurse will administer chemo in an outpatient clinic. In other cases, it may be necessary to go to the hospital to receive treatment.
Because different drugs damage cancer cells during different times, combining different cancer drugs into a regimen can result in more cancer cells being killed and improve your outcome.
Chemotherapy is not without risk of side effects. Learn how best to manage chemotherapy side effects.
UNDERSTANDING CANCER
TREATING CANCER WITH CHEMOTHERAPY
CHEMOTHERAPY SIDE EFFECTS
TREATING CANCER IN OTHER WAYS
TRACKING YOUR TEST RESULTS
UNDERSTANDING INSURANCE AND TAX ISSUES: INSURANCE TIPS
WEB RESOURCES AND ORGANIZATIONS
TOOLS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR CANCER INFORMATION
FOR CAREGIVERS
GLOSSARY OF CANCER TERMS
REGISTER FOR PROGRAMS
FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
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