Chemotherapy
For some people, the word "chemotherapy" can cause nearly as much fear as the word "cancer." But it's important to realize that chemotherapy has come a long way in recent years. Today, doctors have more medicines in their arsenal to destroy cancer cells and new approaches for combining treatments to make them more effective and less disruptive.
The cancer team at the University of Chicago Hospitals is internationally recognized for expertise in designing effective cancer treatment plans and developing clinical trials of new drugs. In fact, we are designated by the National Cancer Institute as a clinical cancer center and offer more clinical trials than any other hospital in Illinois. That kind of experience can be essential in defining a chemotherapy treatment plan that has the best chance of success.
Your first chemotherapy treatment will be the most important for several reasons:
- It's easier to beat cancer in its earlier stages.
- Chemotherapy is frequently combined with other treatments, and/or given in various stages. Your first treatment will lay the foundation for any subsequent treatments that might be required.
The experienced oncologists at the University of Chicago Hospitals realize you may have a lot of questions about chemotherapy. We can help you sort out the facts and recommend the safest, most effective approach for your particular kind of cancer. We can also offer new drug and combination treatments before they are available at many other hospitals, making the most promising treatments available to patients who feel they may have run out of options. We also offer support programs to help you cope with chemotherapy side effects while you are undergoing treatment.
Cancer patients come to us from across the country and around the world because we are experts at designing the best possible treatment plan. However, sometimes they choose to pursue all or some of their chemotherapy closer to home. University of Chicago physicians can assist with coordinating chemotherapy at other hospitals, insuring continuity of care.
