The principle behind chemotherapy was discovered by accident during World War Two, when a number of sailors were accidentally exposed to mustard gas. When they were treated in hospital, doctors noticed that all the sailors had an unusually low number of white blood cells. White blood cells are similar to cancer cells in that they divide and grow rapidly. Doctors reasoned that if the chemicals in mustard gas reduced the number of white blood cells by stopping them growing, they could have the same effect on cancer cells. Testing soon showed they were right. Over time, the chemicals used in chemotherapy were improved and more efficient medications were created.

There are now over 50 different types of chemotherapy medication to treat hundreds of different cancers. Depending on the type of cancer, you may be given:

• monotherapy, where only one chemotherapy medication is used, or
• combination therapy, where a combination of different medications is used.

When is chemotherapy given?

Depending on the type and severity of your cancer, chemotherapy is given at different stages of treatment. You may receive chemotherapy:

• before undergoing surgery or radiotherapy to shrink the tumour before other treatments begin (neo-adjuvant therapy),
• in combination with radiotherapy (chemoradiation), or
• after surgery or a course of radiotherapy (adjuvant therapy).

Chemotherapy protocols

You will need regular chemotherapy over a set period of time for it to be effective. Your chemotherapy care team will draw up a protocol (plan) which outlines when you will receive treatment and for how long.

Chemotherapy protocols vary depending on the type of cancer that you have and how advanced it is. It is common to have chemotherapy for one day before treatment is suspended for one to three weeks to allow your body to recover from the effects of the treatment.

An example of a chemotherapy protocol is:

• one day of treatment,
• seven days of rest,
• one day of treatment, and
• 21 days of rest.

This cycle will be repeated six times over the course of 18 weeks.

Relate Articles:

1. How chemotherapy is performed
2. Side effects of chemotherapy – part 1
3. Side effects of chemotherapy – part 2
4. Biopsy
5. How a biopsy is car­ried out
6. Radio­ther­apy
7. How radio­ther­apy is per­formed
8. The side effects of radio­ther­apy

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