Chemotherapy Pros & Cons

Chemotherapy is an intense medical drug treatment used to kill harmful cells. Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer because of the rapid growth rate of cancer cells but can also be used to treat bone marrow ailments and immune system disorders.

• Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy

Effectiveness

• Chemotherapy is very effective at destroying harmful cells and shrinking tumors. The dosage can be changed depending on the desired effect, such as reducing the size of a tumor or eliminating any cancer cells that remain after an operation.

Length

• An advantage of chemotherapy is that it can be an outpatient procedure so it does not necessarily require an overnight stay in the hospital.

Treatment Types

• Chemotherapy is advantageous because it can be applied in a variety of ways including creams, pills and infusions. In addition, if the chemotherapy is being administered to eliminate any cancer after surgery, a small disc can be put in at the end of the surgery.

Short-Term Side Effects

• When you undergo chemotherapy you will likely experience a variety of short-term side effects including hair loss, feeling tired and dizzy, reduced blood counts and throwing up.

Long-Term Dangers

• Chemotherapy can cause infertility as well as damage to the heart, lungs and kidneys. It can also lead to decreased bone density.