What Is Chemotherapy?

TL;DR

• Chemotherapy, or “chemo,” is a cancer treatment that kills fast-growing cells throughout the body.
• It’s often combined with surgery, radiation, or immunotherapy for stronger results.
• In brain cancer, newer chemotherapy drugs are being developed to cross the blood-brain barrier more effectively.

What Is Chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy — often called “chemo” — is one of the most recognized cancer treatments, but also one of the most misunderstood.

At its core, chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to kill rapidly dividing cells — the hallmark of cancer. These medications circulate through the bloodstream, reaching cancer cells almost anywhere in the body.

To learn more about how chemotherapy works, visit the National Cancer Institute's overview of chemotherapy.

How Chemotherapy Works

Chemotherapy can be administered in several ways — most commonly through an IV infusion or in pill form. Once inside the body, the drugs interfere with cancer cells’ ability to grow and divide.

Because chemotherapy targets any fast-growing cells, it can also affect healthy ones — such as those in your hair, mouth, or digestive tract. That’s why side effects like fatigue, hair loss, or nausea are common during treatment.

For strategies on managing side effects, explore the National Cancer Institute's guide to chemotherapy side effects.

Chemotherapy in Brain Cancer

Chemotherapy can be used alone or combined with other treatments such as surgery, radiation, or immunotherapy.

In brain cancer, it’s often part of a multimodal approach — using several treatment methods together to attack the tumor from multiple angles and improve outcomes.

While traditional chemotherapy has been around for decades, researchers continue to refine it. Newer drugs are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier more effectively and target tumor cells more precisely, helping improve results and reduce side effects.

Exploring Clinical Trials with PACT AI

If you or someone you love is navigating treatment options, consider asking your doctor:

• Which chemotherapy drugs are standard for my diagnosis?
• Are there newer or combination therapies being studied in clinical trials?

With PACT AI, patients and caregivers can easily explore ongoing clinical trials for chemotherapy, compare new treatment options, and access clear information to support informed, confident decisions.

Learn more about how PACT AI can help →

Have questions? Reach out at contact@pact-ai.com.