Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español

chemotherapy

(KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given by mouth, injection, or infusion, or on the skin, depending on the type and stage of the cancer being treated. It may be given alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or biologic therapy.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms