Modes of Administration
Chemotherapy can be given a number of ways, but the most common methods of administration are orally or via injection. Many patients prefer oral administration of their chemotherapy medications because they are easier to take and there is no need to puncture the skin. However, some medications cannot be taken orally because they are not absorbed well by the digestive system or are not effective when they pass through the digestive system (because they get broken down by stomach acid, for example). As a result, many chemotherapy medications have to be given via injection.
Injection Methods
There are many different ways in which chemotherapy drugs can be injected. One way is through intravenous injection, in which the drug is injected directly into the veins. Sometimes, especially if the patient is receiving multiple drugs or is getting frequent doses, a device is implanted called a central venous catheter, which allows easy access to the patient's veins. Patients can also receive medications injected directly into their arteries. In other cases, chemotherapy can be injected into the patient's muscles, under the skin, or into the cerebrospinal fluid via a lumbar puncture. Chemo can also be injected into the chest, abdominal area or bladder (intrapleural, intraperioteneal or intravesical administration) or directly into the tumor.
Dosing Schedule
Depending on the type of chemotherapeutic agent being used, the patient may receive the drug every day, every few days, every week or once a month. Because chemotherapy drugs are toxic to the body, most patients are put on schedules in which they are given the medication for a period of time and then given some time off to recover (called a chemo "cycle"). Patients may also receive other kinds of treatment, such as radiation or surgical treatment either during or in-between cycles.
