Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy for cervical cancer is usually given intravenously(injected into a vein). You may be treated in the doctor’s office or the outpatient part of a hospital.

The drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach all parts of the body. This is why chemotherapy can be effective in treating cervical cancer that has spread beyond the cervix. However, the same drugs that kill cancer cells may also damage healthy cells. To limit the damage to healthy cells, chemotherapy is usually given in cycles. Periods of chemotherapy treatment are alternated with rest periods when no chemotherapy is given. Side effects usually still occur, but are manageable.

Side effects of chemotherapy
Each person responds to chemotherapy differently. Some people may have very few side effects while others experience several. Most side effects are temporary. They include:

Targeted Therapy
Another modality for cancer treatment is the use of drugs that target specific cancer pathways and lead to cancer cell death. These targeted drugs are usually given intravenously(injected into a vein). You may be treated in the doctor’s office or the outpatient part of a hospital.

Typically, these targeted therapies focus on specific cells and/or specific cell processes that, when disrupted, will lead to death of those cells. These drugs are designed to further limit damage to normal cells. However, you might still have side effects from these drugs, like with chemotherapy.

Side Effects of Targeted Therapy
Each person responds to targeted therapy differently. These side effects might be compounded if you are getting targeted therapies along with chemotherapy, which is common. Some people may have very few side effects while others experience several. Most side effects are temporary. They include: