Chemotherapy drugs are designed to travel throughout your body and slow the growth of cancer cells or kill them. Most often the drugs are injected into the bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) needle that is inserted into a vein. Some are given as pills. Treatments can be as short as 4 months or as long as 2 years. The drugs you take will depend on the stage of the cancer at the time you are diagnosed or if the cancer returns.

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles. You get one treatment and are given a few weeks to recover before your next treatment. The drugs most often are given in a doctor's office or in an outpatient department of a hospital or clinic.

Possible problems: The most common side effects are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, weight change, mouth ulcers, and throat soreness. Some drugs cause short-term hair loss. Hair WILL grow back after or sometimes during treatment.

Before you start your therapy, you may want to have your hair cut short, buy a wig, hat, or scarves that you can wear while you are going through treatment. Also, finish dental work before starting your therapy. You cannot have dental work during chemotherapy because you are ore prone to infections.