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Drugs are used in chemotherapy, a type of cancer treatment, to either kill or stop the growth of cancer cells. As a systemic treatment, the medications target certain healthy cells as well as the cancer cells by circulating throughout the body. The following essential points can help you better understand chemotherapy: 1. Goal: - Destruction of Cancer Cells: The main objective is to eradicate or stop the spread of cancer cells. - Systemic Treatment: This approach targets cancer cells that may have spread outside of the original tumor by affecting the entire body. 2. Chemotherapy Types: - Combination therapy: To maximize efficacy, several medications are frequently used together. - Adjuvant Therapy: Used to get rid of any cancer cells that remained after radiation or surgery. - Neoadjuvant therapy: used to reduce tumor size prior to surgery. 3. Administration: - Oral or Intravenous (IV): Medications can be administered intravenously (IV) through a vein, orally as pills. - Subcutaneous (SC) or intramuscular (IM): Certain medications are injected under the skin or into the muscle. 4. Frequency and Length: - Treatment Cycles: Usually administered in cycles interspersed with rest intervals to facilitate the body's healing. - Frequency: Depending on the particular regimen, this can be done every day, every week, or at various intervals. 5. Adverse Reactions: - Normal Cells Affected: Bone marrow, digestive tract, and hair follicles are examples of healthy cells that might be impacted by fast growth. - Typical side effects include anemia, decreased immunity, hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and appetite problems. 6. Handling Adverse Effects: - Supportive Care: Medications and alterations to lifestyle to mitigate adverse effects. - Monitoring: Frequent examinations and blood work to evaluate the e