Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments and uses several drugs to destroy cancer cells. It has been proven effective at treating many types of cancers, but there are still so many misunderstandings about it. If your doctor has advised you to undergo chemotherapy, it is important to know the facts.
Here are a few common myths about this cancer treatment that you should not believe anymore.
Chemotherapy Is Just Administered Intravenously
Many people still assume that chemotherapy drugs can only be administered through the veins. While they can certainly be given intravenously, that is not the only way cancer patients undergo this cancer treatment. Chemotherapy can also be administered orally, topically, or as an injection. Your doctor can help you decide on the best way to take the treatment.
Everyone Loses Their Hair During Chemotherapy Treatments
Chemotherapy has a long reputation of making people lose their hair. While some people can definitely lose their hair during this cancer treatment, not everyone does. Some people experience hair thinning rather than completely losing their hair. If you are worried about losing your hair, you should speak to your cancer doctor.
Women Can't Have Children After Chemotherapy
Some women may worry that they will not be able to get pregnant after chemotherapy. The good news is that this is not usually the case. Although women usually stop menstruating during chemotherapy, they typically get their periods back once the treatment is over.
There Is Only One Type of Chemotherapy
A good amount of people still believe that there is just one type of chemotherapy that treats cancer. However, there are actually a lot of types of chemotherapy and not all of them target the same types of cancers. After determining the type of cancer you have, your doctor can advise on the proper chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy Causes Severe Vomiting
Many cancer patients are nervous about undergoing chemotherapy because they assume they will be vomiting all day. While this was true many years ago, it is not the case today. Chemotherapy drugs have come a long way in recent years. Patients are also given medicine before chemotherapy to reduce nausea and vomiting.
As you can see, there are a lot of different myths about chemotherapy. If you have additional questions or concerns about this cancer treatment, you should not hesitate to ask your doctor. He or she should be more than happy to help you. For more information on cancer treatment, contact a professional near you.
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