Home > Encyclopedia of Children's Health > Chemotherapy

Definition

Chemotherapy, sometimes referred to as "chemo," is the treatment of cancer with anticancer drugs.

Purpose

The main purpose of chemotherapy is to kill cancer cells. It usually is used to treat patients with cancer that has spread from the place in the body where it originated (metastasized). Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells anywhere in the body. It even kills cells that have broken off from the main tumor and traveled through the blood or lymph systems to other parts of the body.

Chemotherapy can cure some types of cancer. In some cases, it is used to slow the growth of cancer cells or to keep the cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Chemotherapy may be given before surgery or radiation...