MedicineNet.com
About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map
November 8, 2009
MedicineNet home Picture Slideshows Diseases and conditions Symptoms and signs Procedures and tests Medications Health and Living Health news and views MedTerms medical dictionary
Font Size
A
A
A


The Cleveland Clinic

Chemotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer

In cancer treatment, chemotherapy refers to the use of drugs to kill or slow the growth of rapidly multiplying cells.

Chemotherapy usually includes a combination of drugs, since this is more effective than a single drug given alone. There are many drug combinations used to treat breast cancer. Ask your doctor for specific information and side effects you can expect from your chemotherapy medications.

How Is Chemotherapy Given?

Chemotherapy drugs are given intravenously (directly into a vein) or orally (by mouth). Once the drugs enter the bloodstream, they travel to all parts of the body in order to reach cancer cells that may have spread beyond the breast -- therefore chemotherapy is considered a "systemic" form of breast cancer treatment.

Chemotherapy is given in cycles of treatment followed by a recovery period. The entire chemotherapy treatment generally lasts three to six months, depending on the type of drugs given.



Next: When is chemotherapy given? »

Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend


Suggested Reading by Our Doctors
MedicineNet Doctors
  • fluconazole, Diflucan - Clarifies the medication fluconazole (Diflucan), a drug used to treat oral, esophageal, urinary, vaginal and possibly other organ infections caused by the fungus Candida.
  • Hemoglobin - Read about hemoglobin - the protein molecule in red blood cells. Learn what normal, low, and high level hemoglobin counts mean on MedicineNet.com
  • Breast Cancer - Get the facts on breast cancer symptoms, signs, stages, types, research, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention information and treatment options: mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy.

Latest Medical News


Breast Cancer

Find support and advances in treatment.


Are you Depressed? Take the Quiz

Your Guide to Symptoms & Signs: Pinpoint Your Pain



Chemotherapy Treatment for Breast Cancer

Introduction to breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Heightened awareness of breast cancer risk in the past decades has led to an increase in the number of women undergoing mammography for screening, leading to detection of cancers in earlier stages and a resultant improvement in survival rates. Still, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

Research has yielded much information about the causes of breast cancers, and it is now believed that genetic and/or hormonal fac...

Read the Breast Cancer article »










Health categories:

Slideshows | Diseases & Conditions | Symptoms & Signs | Procedures & Tests | Medications | Health & Living | News & Views | Medical Dictionary

Popular health centers:

Allergies | Arthritis | Cancer | Diabetes | Digestion | Healthy Kids | Heart | Men's Health | Mental Health | Women's Health | More...

Publications:

ePublications (PDFs) | XML News via RSS | Audio Podcasts | Email Newsletters

MedicineNet.com:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Site Map | WebMD® | Medscape® | eMedicine® | eMedicineHealth® | RxList®

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify. This site complies to the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information:
verify here.

©1996-2009 MedicineNet, Inc. All rights reserved. Notices and Legal Disclaimer.
MedicineNet does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.