Chemotherapy is a commonly used cancer treatment, and is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells and slow the growth of the disease. A diagnosis of cancer and unfamiliar treatments like chemotherapy can raise a lot of questions and concerns, but many resources are available to connect patients to each other, disseminate information about medications and side effects and provide definitions of chemotherapy and reasons for its use.
Chemocare.com
Chemocare.com is a website filled with information about chemotherapy, both general and specific topics. The website includes sections that define chemotherapy, explain how the drugs work and list some of the drugs that are available. Searching the website by the generic or brand name of a drug is an option, and each drug page has lists of possible side effects, the reason the drug is used and any warnings or precautions about the medication. Message boards and patient stories are available, and the site also has a list of other resources available for people living with cancer.
American Cancer Society: Guide to Cancer Drugs
The Cancer Drug Guide tool on the website of the American Cancer Society enables an individual to enter the generic or brand name of a chemotherapy drug and pull up supplemental information. The tool provides the origin of the drug, the mechanism of action of the medication, possible side effects, precautions, warnings and side effects, dosages and regimen schedules and any possible adverse drug interactions. While this is not a replacement for information obtained from a medical professional, it can be used to supplement the information provided by an individual's health care team.
Chemotherapy.com
Chemotherapy.com is a comprehensive website that has information not only about chemotherapy, but about cancer and general cancer treatment. The website offers information how cancer is staged and what that means, how chemotherapy is given and reasons for having chemotherapy, other cancer treatments like surgery and radiation, an area about test results and a glossary of commonly ordered tests, insurance information and supplemental resources. The website also includes an area for caregivers to explore, a dictionary of commonly used cancer terms, tools for organizing medical records and health information and a place to register for a free subscription to the magazine "Women and Cancer."
Chemotherapy for Kids
Chemotherapy for kids is a website not only for children going through chemotherapy, but for families with a child going through chemotherapy or children with a parent undergoing chemotherapy. One section for parents explains how chemotherapy works; another provides information for children about what to expect in the hospital, what cancer treatment can consist of, and why people get cancer. Another section includes videos about fundraising, children dealing with cancer and inspirational stories of children with cancer. For a more interactive way to experience the website, visitors can become part of the the website's community and connect with other viewers of the website.
