Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells (including leukaemia and lymphoma).
There are over 50 different chemotherapy drugs. Some are given on their own but often several drugs are given together. This is known as combination chemotherapy.
The type of chemotherapy treatment you are given depends on many things, but particularly:
- the type of cancer you have
- where the cancer started in your body
- what the cancer cells look like under the microscope
- whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
Chemotherapy may be used alone to treat some types of cancer. It may also be used with other types of treatment such as surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapies, or a combination of these.
What is cancer?
Further information on what cancer is, the common types of cancer and how it develops is available in the About cancer section of the site.