Chemotherapy is the use of anti-cancer drugs to destroy cancer cells. It may be given before surgery to shrink the tumour to make it easier to remove. It can also be used after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Sometimes, chemo is given in addition to surgery to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back.
how is it given?
Chemo for soft tissue sarcomas is given by injection into a vein (intravenously). This is usually through a central line, an implantable port or a PICC line - find out more.
A session of chemo treatment usually lasts a few days. This is followed by a rest period of a few weeks so that your body can recover from any side effects.
You will probably need to stay in hospital for some of that time, but it is often possible to have part of your treatment as an outpatient.
which drugs?
There are a few different chemo drugs that doctors can use for soft tissue sarcomas. Usually they give 2 or 3 in combination and this is called a regimen (basically it's a treatment plan). The main chemotherapy drugs for soft tissue sarcomas are:
- doxorubicin
- ifosfamide
- cyclophosphamide
- vincristine
- actinomycin D.
For rhabdomyosarcoma, a standard treatment regimen is I (Ifosfamide),V (Vincristine) and A (Actinomycin).
Doctors will use the treatment plan they think is best in your situation. This is often part of a clinical trial or a treatment plan which has been agreed between doctors working in all the specialist centres in the country.
are there any side effects?
Different chemo drugs cause different side effects. Some people just have a few side effects and others have more. It’s hard to predict how it’s going to be for you as everyone is different and reactions can vary from treatment to treatment.
Almost all side effects are short term and will gradually disappear once treatment stops. The most common side effects are hair loss, tiredness, sickness (which can be controlled) and a lowered immune system- which means you can pick up infections more easily. You might also feel emotional and depressed or irritable. Some people find that it really helps to talk to someone close or to a counsellor.
If you want to know more about the regimens and side effects of chemotherapy, there is a lot more information in the chemotherapy and the deal with it section.
