Chemotherapy Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does Chemotherapy Cost?

How much chemotherapy costs will depend on a lot of things, such as the types of drugs used and how often you take them. You can ask about the cost and where to get help in paying for chemotherapy if you need it. If you have medical insurance, check to see if it pays for chemotherapy. You may also want to ask a social worker at your local hospital to help you look into payment through government programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, or other agencies.

What Are the Side Effects of Chemotherapy?

Some people have no side effects at all from chemotherapy. Sometimes, however, chemotherapy will make you feel sick. This is because the drugs being used are very strong. They go after any cell that is quickly dividing, whether it's a cancer cell or not. So, some non-cancer cells that divide quickly are also damaged.

What Parts of the Body Are Affected by Chemotherapy?

Cells in your hair and bone marrow (can cause hair loss and a tired feeling)

Cells of the skin and mouth (can cause sores in your mouth, and dry skin and hair)

Cells in your stomach and intestines (can cause you to feel nauseated)

Bone marrow changes:   Bone marrow, which makes your blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) is often affected by chemotherapy in the following ways:

It may not be able to make enough red blood cells. Not having enough red blood cells is called anemia and causes weakness and fatigue.

White blood cells fight infection. Chemotherapy lowers your white blood cell count, which can lower your resistance to infections. Your cancer care team may recommend certain precautions to avoid infection, such as wearing a surgical mask, not being near people with colds, not eating uncooked foods, and washing your hands thoroughly.

Platelets form blood clots that plug up any cuts or bruises. If your bone marrow cannot make enough platelets, you may bleed too much, even from small cuts. If your platelet count is very low, you will need to be very careful to avoid any cuts or bruises. Even brushing your teeth with a brush that has hard bristles could cause your gums to bleed, so you may need a special toothbrush.

Hair, skin, mouth, and stomach:   Cells in your hair, skin, mouth and gastrointestinal tract (stomach and intestines) can be affected by chemotherapy. This can result in hair loss, sores in your mouth, dry skin, nausea, and vomiting.

Sexuality:  Chemotherapy can affect sexuality in both men and women. Sometimes sexual desire is decreased for a period of time, then returns. Some drugs given during chemotherapy may affect a woman's hormones, triggering hot flashes and dryness of the vagina.

The good news is that there are things you can do to lessen or to get rid of some of these side effects.

You can take some medicines at the same time as your chemotherapy to prevent vomiting or feeling sick to your stomach.

New drugs called growth factors can be given as injections to help the bone marrow recover from chemotherapy, and start making new blood cells.

Transfusions of red blood cells or platelets from blood donors help many people.

Remember that not everyone gets the same chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy for some cancers may be much stronger and cause more side effects than other drugs. Also, everybody is different. Your general state of health and fitness will affect how your body reacts to chemotherapy.

You may be able to go on with what you normally do while you are on chemotherapy. You may not have to stop working or be on a special diet. On the other hand, some people need to be in the hospital so that doctors can watch them closely and treat certain side effects. Ask your cancer care team what you'll be able to do while you're being treated.

What are the Possible Effects on My Family?

Cancer isn't contagious, so you can go on being close to family and friends. Having chemotherapy won't "rub off " on anybody else either. Depending on how your body reacts to the treatment drugs, people may not notice you are on chemotherapy at all. If you do get unpleasant side effects, your family and friends can do things to help. When someone asks, "How can I help?" have a few suggestions ready.

You may not feel like eating very much, so ask family members to take turns cooking foods that you feel you can eat.

You might get tired after each treatment and need extra rest. Ask your family to do little jobs for you until you feel better.

Remember that your family cares very much about you and they may feel nervous about your chemotherapy. Let your family and friends know how much their support means to you. Be honest about how you feel. Get into the habit of talking things over with your family and friends so they can share your ups and downs.

There will be times when the people closest to you also feel tired or sad, and you can help them feel better by reminding them how much you value their help.

You and Your Doctor:

Because cancer is different for everyone, your chemotherapy will be planned just for you. Work closely with your doctor to decide what's best for you.

Ask questions: Ask the doctor, nurses, social workers, and other professionals on your team as many questions as you like. They know the most about chemotherapy and how it works.

Come prepared: Write down your questions ahead of time and don't be afraid to say you are confused, or want to ask the same questions over again. Nothing you say will sound "silly" or "strange" to your health care team, because they know you want to understand chemotherapy as much as possible. All patients receiving chemotherapy have questions.

These are some questions you might want to ask:

    What are the usual side effects of the chemotherapy you recommended?

    Is there any way to make these side effects less severe?

    How long do the side effects last? Are any permanent?

    How will this chemotherapy affect my prognosis (outlook) for cure or long-term survival?

Source: American Cancer Society