Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, in its most general sense, is the treatment of disease by chemicals especially by killing micro-organisms or cancerous cells. In popular usage, it refers to antineoplastic drugs used to treat cancer or the combination of these drugs into a cytotoxic standardized treatment regimen.

What is Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy literally refers to the treatment of certain diseases using specific chemicals that are destructive to malignant cells or to the causative agent of a disease such as a bacteria or virus. Therefore, the treatment can be broadly divided into two categories - cancer chemotherapy and antimicrobial chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy Principles

History of Chemotherapy

What is 'Chemo Brain'?

Chemotherapy Treatment Schemes

Chemotherapy Types

How Chemotherapy Affects Daily Living

Does Scalp Cooling Prevent Hair Loss During Chemotherapy?

Latest Chemotherapy News and Research

FDA approves first gene therapy for rare pediatric immune disorder

Dr. Donald Kohn has been developing gene therapies for rare pediatric immune disorders for over 30 years.

27 Mar 2026

Advanced endoscopic technique successfully treats early-stage colorectal cancer

In the months before his wedding, Queens resident Roberto Pineda Sanchez noticed persistent rectal bleeding, a dangerous symptom he almost ignored.

27 Mar 2026

Study explores racial differences in gastric cancer immunotherapy outcomes

Advanced gastric cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, with a 5-year overall survival rate below 10%.

26 Mar 2026

Circulating tumor DNA predicts breast cancer relapse after treatment

Fragments of tumor DNA circulating in the bloodstream of patients with breast cancer can predict whether they are likely to relapse, especially when samples are taken after the patients have received treatments prior to surgery.

26 Mar 2026

Copper-based agent complex kills cancer cells in a novel way

A copper-based agent complex kills cancer cells in a novel way. It receives its activation signal through light. It could help where existing chemotherapy treatments reach their limits.

26 Mar 2026

Immunotherapy plus chemotherapy improves outcomes in stage III dMMR colon cancer

A new study from researchers at the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) shows that patients with stage III colon cancer with deficient deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair (dMMR) had significantly better outcomes when the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) was added to standard chemotherapy after surgery.

25 Mar 2026

Breast cancer patients may avoid lymphedema with radiotherapy approach

Patients with breast cancer may be able to avoid lymphedema, which can occur after surgery to remove lymph nodes in the armpit (the axilla), by having radiotherapy instead.

25 Mar 2026

Breast cancer cells exploit the lung's repair system to support tumor growth

Researchers at the CU Anschutz Cancer Center have discovered how breast cancer cells that spread to the lungs may take advantage of the body's natural healing response and how a commonly used drug might slow that process.

25 Mar 2026

Early blood test could guide personalized lymphoma treatment decisions

Many people with an aggressive blood cancer called diffuse large B cell lymphoma are cured by the current gold standard of treatment: an antibody designed to wipe out cancerous B cells plus a combination of four chemotherapy drugs.

25 Mar 2026

Blood pressure drug boosts effectiveness of cancer therapy

In a new Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC) study led by clinical researcher Tyler J. Curiel, MD, MPH, FACP, investigators found that the FDA-approved blood pressure drug telmisartan can significantly enhance the cancer-killing activity of the targeted therapy olaparib, potentially expanding its use to many more patients.

25 Mar 2026

iXCells Biotechnologies joins international collaboration to evaluate chemotherapeutic toxicity in human organoids

iXCells Biotechnologies ("iXCells"), a leading provider of human cell-based solutions and custom iPSC services, today announced it has entered an international collaboration with Rosebud Biosciences ("Rosebud"), Kantify, and Incite to evaluate off-target chemotherapeutic toxicities in patient-specific organoids.

From iXCells Biotechnologies 25 Mar 2026

Personalized radiotherapy reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence

The chances of breast cancer recurring remain very low when patients are treated with radiotherapy that is tailored to their individual risk following chemotherapy and surgery. These are the findings of a ten-year study presented at the 15th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC15) in Barcelona today (Wednesday).

24 Mar 2026

New mechanism driving glioblastoma growth offers potential treatment targets

Australian researchers have uncovered a critical mechanism driving the growth and spread of glioblastoma – one of the most aggressive and lethal forms of brain cancer – potentially paving the way for more effective treatments.

23 Mar 2026

Home-based chemotherapy proves to be safe and feasible in pilot study

In a study published in NEJM Catalyst, Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated that chemotherapy can be safely delivered in patients' homes.

19 Mar 2026

Tumor debulking fails to improve survival in colorectal cancer

Research shows tumor debulking in advanced colorectal cancer does not enhance survival outcomes and may increase adverse effects, questioning its efficacy.

19 Mar 2026

New nanomaterial enhances bioimaging and targeted cancer drug delivery

The Nanomedicine and Nanotoxicology Group (GNano) at the University of São Paulo's São Carlos Institute of Physics (IFSC-USP) in Brazil has discovered a way to transform hydroxyapatite, a bioceramic material, into a nanoparticle with enhanced intrinsic luminescence.

18 Mar 2026

Protein targeted by cancer drugs may help the body fight influenza

A protein already targeted by FDA-approved cancer drugs may also help the body fight influenza, according to new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX).

18 Mar 2026

Combination therapy shows promise for leptomeningeal metastasis in breast cancer

Patients with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) have historically had few treatment options. Now, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found a combination of targeted therapies, tucatinib and trastuzumab, plus the chemotherapy drug, capecitabine, may improve symptoms and extend survival in some breast cancer patients with LM.

18 Mar 2026

Why are men missing cancer tests despite higher positive rates?

A study highlights a gap in cancer prevention, showing men undergo genetic testing less often yet are more likely to carry high-risk cancer variants.

18 Mar 2026

Study: Women survive cancer more but face higher treatment toxicity

Women are more likely to survive cancer than men but face a higher risk of serious and adverse side effects from treatment, according to a landmark international study from Adelaide University.

17 Mar 2026