Chemotherapy: What It Is, Who It’s For, and What You Need to Know

When you hear chemotherapy, a medical treatment that uses powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells. Also known as chemo, it’s one of the most common ways doctors treat cancer in India and around the world. It doesn’t cure every type of cancer, but for many people, it slows growth, shrinks tumors, or helps keep the disease from coming back after surgery.

Chemotherapy works by targeting cells that divide quickly—something cancer cells do a lot of. But it doesn’t just hit cancer. It can also affect healthy cells that grow fast, like those in your hair follicles, gut lining, and bone marrow. That’s why people on chemo often lose hair, feel sick to their stomach, or get tired easily. These side effects don’t happen to everyone the same way. Some people feel fine for weeks. Others need breaks between cycles to recover. The drugs used depend on the cancer type, stage, and how your body responds. In India, treatment plans are often tailored to cost, availability, and local guidelines, making access different than in high-income countries.

Not everyone needs chemotherapy. Some early-stage cancers are treated with surgery alone. Others respond better to radiation, immunotherapy, or targeted drugs. For example, if you have a slow-growing prostate cancer, your doctor might suggest active monitoring instead of jumping into chemo right away. And for people with weak immune systems or other serious health problems, chemo can be too risky. That’s why a full medical review is always done before starting. In India, many patients turn to hospitals in Bangalore, Delhi, or Mumbai for chemo because they have better access to specialists and newer drug options. But even in smaller towns, government hospitals often offer subsidized treatment through national cancer programs.

Cost is a big concern. A single cycle of chemotherapy in India can range from ₹15,000 to ₹1,00,000 or more, depending on the drug and hospital. Some drugs are available as generics, which cut costs significantly. Insurance coverage varies—some plans cover chemo fully, others only partially. Many families rely on savings, crowdfunding, or NGO support to pay for treatment. There are also clinical trials running in major cities that offer free or low-cost access to new drugs. If you’re considering chemo, ask your doctor about generic alternatives, financial aid programs, and whether a clinical trial might be right for you.

There’s growing interest in what’s called integrative care—using nutrition, yoga, or Ayurvedic support alongside chemo to help manage side effects. While these don’t replace treatment, they can improve quality of life. For example, some patients find ginger tea helps with nausea, or that light walking keeps energy levels up. But don’t take herbal supplements without talking to your oncologist first. Some can interfere with how chemo works.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of chemo drugs or exact dosages—that’s something only your doctor can decide. Instead, you’ll see real-world stories, practical advice on managing side effects, cost comparisons, and questions people actually ask when facing treatment in India. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or just trying to understand what chemo really means today, these articles cut through the noise and give you what matters: clear, honest, and useful information.