Chemotherapy involves taking one or more cytotoxic – or anti-cancer - drugs. They work in different ways, but all chemotherapy drugs prevent cancer cells from dividing and growing. Treatment aims to destroy cancer cells that may have spread from your breast and armpit to other parts of your body.
Secondary breast cancer in the lung and liver responds well to chemotherapy. Courses, comprising treatment cycles repeated at intervals, usually three weeks, can last several weeks or months.
If you’ve not had anthracycline chemotherapy before, you’ll probably be offered it at this stage - if it’s suitable for you.
Anthracylines can, however, affect your heart, so if you have had it before, you’ll probably be recommeneded an alternative.
Other chemotherapies that you may be prescribed for secondary breast cancer are:
- Taxanes (docetaxel, paclitaxel)
- Vinorelbine [Navelbine]
- Capecitabine (an oral form of 5-FU)
- Gemcitabine
There’s more information on chemotherapy, the different drugs available and their side effects at the Breast Cancer Care website.
