Chemotherapy can be used to treat many types of cancer. There are over 100 chemotherapy drugs currently being used today. Chemotherapy is the use of any drug to treat any disease. However, to cancer patients chemotherapy refers to drugs that will be used for cancer treatment. There are other medical terms that are used to describe cancer chemotherapy. One is antineoplastic, which means anti-cancer therapy, and cytotoxic, which means cell-killing therapy.
Unlike radiation and surgery that focus in only one area of the body, chemotherapy is used as a systemic treatment almost every time. The drugs travel throughout the entire body to reach cancer cells wherever they may be. However, there are some ways chemotherapy can be used to treat just one area of the body.
Frequently Asked Questions
Each patient responds to chemotherapy differently. Most patients are able to work in between chemotherapy sessions. Some chemotherapy treatments may cause fatigue as the patient progresses through treatment. Patients tend to base how active they are around how they feel. They can usually gauge what days they are feeling well and what days they may feel more fatigued. Driving is also based around how a patient is feeling. We do request that patients have a designated driver for the day they are receiving treatment, because some of the pre-medications for chemotherapy may cause drowsiness.
Chemotherapy agents each have their own various side effects, and each patient’s tolerance level may vary. Some chemotherapy medications may cause patients to be nauseated and cause vomiting. Anti-nausea medications can be prescribed prior to the chemotherapy infusion. It is important that patients fill these prescriptions before they receive chemotherapy treatment.
Yes. We encourage patients to eat prior to chemotherapy, especially if the patient is going to be here during meal hours. We recommend that if patients are going to eat something prior to treatment, that they select foods that are filling but not greasy.
No. We will provide you with anti-nausea or anti-emetic medication intravenously, as appropriate, before chemotherapy is administered. Also, our nurses will give you specific instructions prior to discharge regarding how you should take your prescribed anti-nausea medication when you get home.
Yes. Many of our patients and their family members often bring in food, especially if the patient may be here for four hours or more. We have a microwave and toaster for patient and family use, and a refrigerator that contains juices and sodas for patients. We also have coffee and tea. The Lake Health Mentor Campus also has a café located in the lobby that offers soups, salads, sandwiches and more.
We want you to feel comfortable during every visit. However, we do ask that you have only a maximum of two visitors stay with you while you are receiving treatment. We do this due to the limited space, to reduce the noise and to ensure safe, quality patient care. Please, no children 12 years of age or under in the infusion area.
Please do not use your cell phone while in the treatment area; scientific studies have shown that certain kinds of cellphones can interfere with our treatment equipment. If you need to use your cellphone, please step outside of our treatment area.
We do not mind if you wish to use your laptop while receiving treatment, as long as you please either lower or silence the volume so as not to disturb other patients. Note that the Lake Health Mentor campus offers free Wi-Fi.
If the need to go to the hospital should arise, most patients go to the Lake Health facilities; however, the selection is ultimately up to the patient. Lake Health/University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center is a collaboration of two health care systems that have been brought together to care for and treat cancer patients in the community that is close to home.
LH/UH Seidman Cancer Center is currently open Monday-Friday from 7:30am - 4:30pm. Click
here to see our current lab hours; any lab appointments may be scheduled during these open hours.
Callers should contact the main number at (440) 205-5755. LH/UH Seidman Cancer Center currently has an answering service that will take calls after hours and on weekends.
