Cancer Treatments
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
is a cancer treatment that you would have to take if you had cancer either by having to take pills, get shots,
or by putting the drugs into the vein using a needle, which is called an intravenous (IV) injection. Depending
on what kind of cancer you might have determines how often, whether every day, every week, or every month, that
you take chemotherapy.
It costs a LOT of money for the treatments and they can be very painful, with side effects such as:
- the killing of normal, healthy cells, because the medicine is so strong
- overall sickness, weakness, and tiredness
- loss of hair (Oh no!, I'm bald!)*
-
nausea - vomiting
- loss of appetite
- diarrhea and constipation
- sore mouth
- taste changes
- skin changes
- brittle and flaky nails with white lines
- tingling or numbness
- anxiety and restlessness
- dizziness
- sleeplessness
- headaches
- change in hearing
- affects sexuality
These
effects don’t happen to everyone, but there is always a risk.
Chemotherapy may not be a pleasant thing, but it does help cure cancer. The side effects and financial effects seem small prices to pay for your life, but they still are the toll. Many cancers, and therefore chemotherapy could be prevented by making the choice to say no to cigarettes and tobacco. You just got the facts, so decide for yourself, and live your life.
*The nude mouse on the lower right has no hair.
More information
- Chemotherapy (American Cancer Society)
- CancerBACKUP Booklet
- Cancercare.org
No buts!
Get the facts. Decide for yourself.
Live your life.
Some pages
on this website are created and maintained by kids—members of Texas
4-H.