Understanding chemotherapy - Macmillan Cancer

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What is cancer?In a benign tumour, the cells do not spread to other parts ofthe body and so are not cancerous. However, they may carryon growing at the original site, and may cause a problem bypressing on surrounding organs.In a malignant tumour, the cancer cells have the ability tospread beyond the original area of the body. If the tumour isleft untreated, it may spread into surrounding tissue. Sometimescells break away from the original (primary) cancer. They mayspread to other organs in the body through the bloodstreamor lymphatic system (see below).When the cancer cells reach a new area they may goon dividing and form a new tumour. This is known as asecondary cancer or a metastasis.The lymphatic system is part of the immune system –the body’s natural defence against infection and disease.It’s made up of organs such as bone marrow, the thymus,the spleen, and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes throughoutthe body are connected by a network of tiny lymphatic tubes(ducts). The lymphatic system has two main roles: it helpsto protect the body from infection and it drains fluid fromthe tissues.When the cancer cells reach a new area, they may goon dividing and form a new tumour. This is known asa secondary cancer or a metastasis.7
Understanding chemotherapyChemotherapyChemotherapy uses anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroycancer cells. Cytotoxic means toxic to cells. Cancer typesinclude leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.Chemotherapy drugs disrupt the way cancer cells grow anddivide but they also affect normal cells.Sometimes chemotherapy is used alone to treat some typesof cancer. But often it’s used with other treatments such assurgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, or other anti-cancerdrugs such as targeted or biological therapies.Chemotherapy drugsNot all cancers are treated with the same chemotherapy drugsor in the same way. There are many different chemotherapydrugs and new drugs are being developed all the time.Research that’s already been done will help your cancerspecialist decide the most effective drugs to treat the type ofcancer you have. You may have one drug or a combinationof different drugs.We have fact sheets about individual chemotherapydrugs and some combinations of chemotherapy drugs.8
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