Chemotherapy drugs are used to stop the growth of any cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of your body and to treat secondary breast cancer.
There are several different chemotherapy drugs and a course of treatment generally combines two or three of these. A chemotherapy course is made up of repeated cycles of treatment, usually a few weeks apart, over a period of several weeks or months.
Side effects – don’t suffer in silence
Chemotherapy drugs target cells that multiply quickly. Although these include cancer cells, it also means that rapidly multiplying healthy cells in the mouth, intestines, bone marrow (where blood cells are made) and scalp can be affected by chemotherapy.
However, because different drugs have different side effects, not everyone will experience them all. Your doctor or nurse will be able to talk to you about the side-effects possible with your specific treatment.
Common chemotherapy side effects include nausea and vomiting, tiredness, hair loss, mouth ulcers, bladder irritation and diarrhoea. Remember though, that a lot can be done to help relieve side effects, so if you do experience any of these, tell your oncologist or breast cancer nurse.
Chemotherapy can also have temporary or permanent effects on your fertility. Again, the effects vary from drug to drug. If you’re yet to go through the menopause you may have menopausal symptoms during treatment. These may well end when your treatment ends, returning you to a normal menstrual cycle and fertility. However, some women become permanently infertile.
If you are concerned about the permanent loss of your fertility, talk to your doctor and about what could be done to help.
The Cancer Research UK website has more information about chemotherapy drugs and their side effects.
