Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing.
Chemotherapy is recommended for some patients with colon cancer to prevent cancer recurrence or for patients whose cancer cannot be removed surgically.
Three categories of chemotherapy:
- Neo-adjuvant: Your doctor may suggest that you undergo a course of chemotherapy before you have surgery. This may shrink the tumor so that your surgeon can completely remove the tumor and avoid complications. Chemotherapy is sometimes given in combination with radiation therapy, because it can make it more effective.
- Adjuvant: This type of chemotherapy is used as a preventive measure to kill any cancer cells that may remain after surgery.
- Primary treatment: Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy as your primary treatment if your cancer has already spread beyond the colon or rectum at the time of diagnosis. Since surgery cannot eliminate the cancer, your team may suggest chemotherapy to shrink tumor nodules, ease your symptoms, and prolong your life.
Although chemotherapy may be extending your life, it may also be making it uncomfortable. Fortunately, some of the newer chemotherapy medications have fewer side effects than the drugs used in the past. You and your team will pick the treatment that will work the best for you.
Your SCCA treatment team is very aware of how uncomfortable side effects can be. We do our very best to limit them. However, for some people side effects are unavoidable. Our symptom management section has a wealth of information on handling side effects. Talk with your doctor and nurse if your symptoms are affecting your quality of life.