General information about chemotherapy

The main group that many people think of as ‘chemotherapy’ is cytotoxic chemotherapy. Cytotoxic means toxic to cells.

In recent years, a number of newer anti-cancer drugs have become available. These are often called targeted treatments. Whereas cytotoxic drugs affect the growth of both cancer cells and normal cells, these newer drugs are directed specifically against certain parts of the cancer cells. However, cytotoxic drugs are still the most widely used form of chemotherapy, and this information is about the use of cytotoxic chemotherapy to treat cancer. 

Other drugs, including hormonal therapies and steroids, are also commonly used to treat some types of cancer. These drugs are not usually thought of as chemotherapy and aren’t covered in this section.  

There are over 50 different cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs|. Some are given on their own, but often two or more drugs are given together. This is known as combination chemotherapy|.

The type of chemotherapy treatment you are given depends on many things, but particularly:

• the type of cancer you have
• where the cancer started in your body
• what the cancer cells look like under the microscope
• whether the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.

Chemotherapy may be used alone to treat some types of cancer. It may also be used with other types of treatment such as surgery|, radiotherapy|, hormonal therapy|, biological therapies, or a combination of these.

What is cancer?

Further information on what cancer is, the common types of cancer and how it develops is available in the About cancer section of the site.

• About cancer