Chemo is the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells, including leukaemia and lymphoma. There are about 50 or so different chemo drugs. Some are given on their own and others are given together - this is known as 'combination chemo'.
The treatment you are given depends on different things, like the type of cancer you have, where in your body it started, what the cells look like under a microscope and whether they've spread anywhere else.
Chemo is given in different situations. It is sometimes the main treatment or it might be given alongside surgery and/or radiotherapy (high energy x-ray treatment). For example, it might be given before an operation, to help shrink the tumour down so that it's easier to remove. Or it might be given after an operation to get rid of any stray cancer cells left behind.
Select an option from the left hand menu to find out more about how chemo works, how it is given and what specific drugs do.
