Chemotherapy (“Chemo”) is a treatment that uses anti-cancer drugs to fight cancer cells. It is used in a range of ways – to destroy cancer cells, to reduce the chance of cancer returning or to shrink a cancer or before other treatments.
Chemotherapy can be used before or after radiation or surgical treatments, depending on the type of cancer and what stage it has reached in a child. The drugs are administered in rounds, giving patients and their bodies the chance to recover. Chemotherapy can be given orally, through a needle (intravenously) or even as a cream (topical).
Side effects of chemotherapy include nausea, diarrhoea or constipation, fatigue, anaemia, mouth sores, low immunity, hair loss, muscle weakness, sensitivity to sunlight, tired eyes and changes in appetite.