Chemotherapy uses drugs and other anti-cancer agents to kill cancer cells and prevent them from growing. This treatment is considered a systemic therapy, because the drugs circulate throughout your entire body system. Many different drugs work against cervical cancer, and they work in different ways.
Your gynecologic oncologist will choose the drug — or combination of drugs — based on your personal diagnosis, disease stage and individual situation. These may be given through an intravenous infusion (IV).
Chemoradiation for cervical cancer
Delivering chemotherapy and radiation therapy concurrently is often part of the treatment plan for patients with cervical cancer. This may mean that you start chemotherapy and radiation on the same day and then continue to have weekly chemotherapy infusions during your weeks of radiation treatment. Your gynecologic oncologist and radiation oncologist will work together to plan and deliver your appropriate treatment.
You may have additional chemotherapy (without radiation) if your cervical cancer is advanced, and spread to other areas of the body, or if it has recurred after chemoradiation.