Can You Get Chemo in Shot Form?

Chemo, or chemotherapy, is a type of treatment that is used to fight cancer. Doctors prescribe chemotherapy drugs to cancer patients to help kill cancer cells throughout the body. Patients may receive chemo shots or other forms of chemo treatment.

Significance

• According to the American Cancer Society, chemotherapy drugs are available in shot form and may be administered in a doctor’s office, hospital or patient’s home. A chemotherapy solution enters the patient’s bloodstream through a needle and syringe. Drugs used can include doxorubicin (Adriamycin), docetaxel (Taxotere), trastuzumab (Herceptin) and fluorouracil. A shot may be given as a single dose or in a series.

Intravenous Chemo

• Patients may receive intravenous chemotherapy through a needle or plastic tube that is inserted into a vein. The drug enters the patient’s bloodstream more slowly than drugs that are administered with a shot.

Oral Chemo

• Doctors may prescribe chemotherapy drugs in pill or liquid form that patients can take orally at home.

Treatment Frequency

• Physicians may prescribe chemotherapy that patients receive at varying time intervals, including daily, weekly or monthly. Chemotherapy may be combined or alternated with other forms of cancer treatment, such as radiation therapy or surgery.

Side Effects

• Patients may experience side effects from chemotherapy, including tiredness, increased frequency of infections and hair loss. Diarrhea, vomiting and stomach discomfort can occur while patients undergo chemotherapy and may require them to receive injections or intravenous therapy rather than oral treatment.