Chemotherapy is a group of drugs capable of destroying or stopping cell growth in continuous proliferation like tumors. They can also affect normal tissues that have rapid growth such as: hair follicle, bone marrow and digestive system (mouth, stomach and colon) but the normal cells of these tissues will recover.

When the cells are healthy, they grow and divide in a controlled way. It does not happen with malignant cells, which multiplies without control giving rise to a neoplasm or tumor. One or several medications may be used during the treatment, this is decided by the doctor based on the type of tumor and the patient’s functional status.

• Destroy cancer cells that may have spread to other parts of the body, known as metastasis.
• relieve the symptoms produced by cancer (palliative treatment).

Depending on the type of cancer, the doctor will choose the diagram or combination of drugs and the way it will be administrated (oral or parenteral).