Chemotherapy at Stanford
Unlike treatments such as surgery or radiation, chemotherapy
destroys cancerous cells throughout the body. It remains essential for
many patients, even as we incorporate therapies that attack specific
targets or harness your immune system.
Newer chemotherapy drugs are also more effective and less
burdensome, with side effects often mild and manageable. We offer the
full support and sophisticated care you need, with top doctors who
know which approach will help you most.
We use chemotherapy for several purposes, always within an
individualized treatment plan created specifically for you. While your
doctor will thoroughly explain the reasons for recommending
chemotherapy, potential goals include:
- Curing the cancer on its own
- Shrinking a tumor to
make other treatments like surgery or radiation possible
(neoadjuvant therapy)
- Destroying any remaining
cancerous cells after surgery or radiation (adjuvant
therapy)
- Slowing the cancer’s growth or relieving
symptoms
- Treating cancer that has returned (recurred)
or spread (metastasized)
Our doctors also use and develop other, emerging drug therapies,
providing the best options for our patients. Sometimes they give these
therapies instead of chemotherapy, sometimes they build off the
treatment foundation already established and sometimes they give the
two in combination.
These therapies include:
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Targeted therapies focus on specific tumor characteristics.
We often recommend this treatment when genetic analysis reveals a
particular tumor mutation. Learn more about targeted
therapy.
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Immunotherapies use your body’s own immune system to fight
cancer. Learn more about immunotherapy.
Chemotherapy for Cancer: Why Choose Stanford
We only turn to chemotherapy after careful consideration, never
rushing patients into making a decision. And we use drugs backed by
extensive research and safety testing, for all major types of cancer
and many rare ones.
Our program offers:
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Top expertise: Our medical oncologists are leaders in their
field, recognized around the country and world. The size of our
staff means members can specialize in just one of two body areas.
They understand the subtleties involved in choosing the right drugs
and doses. They also work closely with Stanford experts providing
additional therapies, for completely coordinated care. Find a medical
oncologist.
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Genetic advances: We now analyze many tumors for genetic
mutations, helping guide care. Examples include:
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Solid Tumor Actionable Mutation Panel (STAMP): Created by
Stanford, STAMP tests a wide panel of genes and uses
next-generation sequencing to look for mutations we can
potentially target. Possible mutations include EGFR and ALK in
lung cancer and RAS and BRAF for metastatic colorectal
cancer.
-
Oncotype DX: This test can tell us whether certain breast
cancers can benefit from chemotherapy.
If patients receive the
chemotherapy agent
5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
and then experience strong
side effects, we can also look at their own genes for a
mutation that makes it harder for them to tolerate the
drug.
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Full support: We offer a full range of services during and
after your chemotherapy, including a class to prepare you for
treatment, emotional support for you and your family, and tools for
preventing and managing side effects. (Learn more about side
effects, or the services offered through our Cancer
Center Patient and Family Resource Guide.) A doctor or nurse
is also available 24-7 to speak by phone or in person at our Cancer
Center.
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Convenience and comfort: We offer the choice of several
state-of-the-art facilities for your care. Learn more about:
Chemotherapy: Research and Clinical Trials
Our doctors participate in and create clinical trials to develop new
chemotherapy agents and drug combinations and identify the best doses,
sequences and schedules. (Find cancer clinical
trials at Stanford, including immunotherapy — treatments that
harness the immune system.)
While trial availability varies, recent efforts in chemotherapy include:
- Better ways to treat triple-negative breast
cancer, a particularly challenging disease.
- The optimal
way to combine chemotherapy with surgery and radiation, when needed.
Learn more about radiation
therapy at Stanford.
- Bone marrow transplants that allow
more powerful doses of chemotherapy. Learn more about our Blood and Marrow
Transplant Program.