Chemotherapy

The medical oncologists at the Cascade Cancer Center are key members of the Evergreen cancer team, providing chemotherapy services in addition to helping guide the treatment planning process at the tumor board.

For breast cancer, chemotherapy can serve several purposes:

• It can be the primary treatment (used alone or in combination with surgery and radiation therapy)
• It can be used to shrink the tumor prior to surgery
• It can be used after surgery or radiation treatment to eradicate any remaing cancer cells
• Because some drugs work better together than alone, often two or more drugs are given at the same time. This is called combination chemotherapy. Which drugs are used is based on what kind of cancer you have, where the cancer is located, the effect of the cancer on your normal body functions and your general health.

The duration of each treatment depends on the method, the number and the amount of medications prescribed. You may get treatment every day, every week or every month. Chemotherapy is often given in cycles that include treatment periods alternated with rest periods to give your body a chance to build healthy new cells and regain its strength.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call:

Cascade Cancer Center
425.899.3181  Phone
425.899.3189 Fax