Chemotherapy (chemical therapy) is the treatment of cancer with drugs that can spread through the body and attack tumor cells. “Over fifty chemicals are used to treat cancer and some tumors can be cured.”​—The Facts About Cancer.

It would not be fair to speak about success in cancer treatment without also mentioning the risks or side effects. Reduced to the simplest terms, “chemotherapy drugs are toxins [poisons],” and “some of these drug regimens are so toxic that patients die of their side effects.” (Target: Cancer) Thus, since chemotherapy is a poisoning of the system, it is a two-edged sword. Hopefully it kills more malignant cells than healthy ones. But it can also lead to other drastic secondary effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and temporary loss of hair. Many patients, though, have felt that temporary undesirable side effects are better than premature loss of life.