Chemotherapy works by destroying or damaging cancer cells. For salivary gland cancer, it is usually given into a vein through a needle with a cannula (tube) attached.
Before you start treatment, your medical oncologist will choose one or more chemotherapy medications that will be best to treat the type of cancer you have. The chemotherapy medications your doctor chooses may depend on:
whether the treatment is curative or palliative
when it is used
your medical history.
ulcers on the lining of the mouth and throat
a feeling of wanting to vomit (nausea) and vomiting
loss of feeling in the fingers and toes
ringing in the ears (tinnitus), or hearing loss
rash
change in taste
hair loss or thinning
higher risk of infection (if the chemotherapy reduces the number of white cells in the blood)
low levels of red blood cells, sometimes requiring a blood transfusion.
Most of these side effects are short lived and go away once you finish chemotherapy. Some side effects like hearing loss, may be permanent.
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