Chemotherapy — What You Are Actually Facing
The word chemotherapy frightens most people before they know a single fact about it. This page answers the questions families actually search for — the side effects, how many cycles, and what it is reasonable to expect.
Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026
- It targets dividing cells — Chemotherapy drugs interfere with the way cells copy themselves. Cancer cells divide more rapidly than most normal cells, which is why they are particularly affected.
- Side effects vary by regimen — What a family member or neighbour experienced on chemotherapy may not apply to you. Your specific medicines determine your experience, not the word alone.
- Cycles include rest periods — Treatment is given in rounds, with gaps in between to allow your body to recover. The length of each cycle depends on your regimen.
- Cost depends on which medicines — Some regimens use older generic drugs that cost relatively little. Others use newer medicines that cost significantly more. The difference is worth asking about early.
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Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to stop cancer cells from dividing and growing. It is given in cycles, with rest periods in between, and takes weeks to months depending on your cancer type and stage. Side effects are the part most people are frightened of — and they vary widely depending on which medicines you receive.
What do these words mean?
- Cycle
- One round of treatment followed by a rest period. A cycle commonly lasts two, three, or four weeks depending on the regimen. The rest period allows your body to recover before the next round begins.
- Regimen
- The specific combination of chemotherapy drugs, doses, and schedule your oncologist has chosen for your cancer type. Two people with the same diagnosis can be on different regimens.
- Adjuvant chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy given after surgery, to reduce the risk of the cancer returning. You may hear this term even when your surgery went well — it is a precaution, not a sign that something went wrong.
- Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy given before surgery, to shrink a tumour and make the operation more effective or more feasible.
- Day care
- Chemotherapy given as an outpatient infusion — you come in for a few hours and go home the same day. Most chemotherapy at CION is delivered this way.
- Port or PICC line
- A thin tube placed under the skin or into a vein in your arm that allows chemotherapy to be given without a fresh needle every visit. Your team will tell you whether your regimen requires one.
What should you do before your first cycle?
- Tell your team about every medicine, supplement, and herbal preparation you are taking — including Ayurvedic, homeopathic, and over-the-counter remedies. Some interact with chemotherapy.
- Arrange transport home after your first infusion. You may feel completely fine, or you may feel tired — you will not know until after, so do not plan to drive yourself.
- Keep a thermometer at home. Fever during chemotherapy needs a same-day call, and knowing your usual baseline helps.
- Ask your team which side effects are most likely with your specific regimen, and what to do if each one happens — before the first cycle, not after.
- Eat a light meal a few hours before each infusion. An empty stomach tends to worsen nausea.
- Ask your dentist for a check-up before you start, if time allows. Some chemotherapy drugs cause mouth problems, and treating dental issues in advance reduces complications.
- Ask whether you are eligible for PM-JAY or a Telangana or Andhra Pradesh state health scheme before your first cycle — not after you have already paid.
Where to find us
Our centres in and around Hyderabad
Addressed by landmark, because that is how this city navigates. Each centre also names the areas it serves, so you can place it without a map. Consultation and day-care Chemotherapy run at every one of them.
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
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How bad are the side effects, really?
The side effects people imagine — severe nausea, hair loss, complete exhaustion — are real, but they do not happen with every regimen, and modern supportive medicines have made several of them significantly more manageable than they were in the past.
Nausea is what most people fear. Anti-nausea medicines are now given routinely before and after infusions, and most people find the nausea controllable rather than overwhelming. Severe vomiting that requires hospital admission is much less common than it once was.
Hair loss happens with some regimens and not others. Your oncologist can tell you before you start whether your specific medicines are likely to cause it, and whether any loss would be temporary. It is not a given.
Fatigue affects more people than any other side effect, and it is the hardest to treat. It usually improves between cycles and after treatment ends — but it is real, and you should plan for it rather than try to push through it alone.
Tell your team about every side effect you notice. Many can be managed better with small adjustments — a change in the anti-nausea dose, a different timing — without changing how well the treatment works.
How many cycles will you need, and what will it cost?
The number of cycles depends on your cancer type, stage, and what the treatment is intended to do. A regimen given before surgery to shrink a tumour typically runs for fewer cycles than one given after surgery to reduce the risk of return.
Your oncologist will give you a planned number at the start. That plan can change — if your cancer is responding well, or if a side effect becomes difficult to manage. Ask what the planned number is and what would cause it to change.
Cost varies widely depending on which medicines are in your regimen. Older chemotherapy drugs are now available as generics and cost relatively little per cycle. Newer combinations, particularly those that include targeted agents, can cost considerably more. The difference between the least and most expensive regimens in common use is substantial.
A cycle's cost covers more than the drug. It includes the consultation, the infusion fee, blood tests done before each cycle, and supportive medicines such as anti-nausea injections. Ask for a written estimate of the full cost per cycle before you start.
If you are covered by PM-JAY or a Telangana or Andhra Pradesh government health scheme, all or part of the cost may be covered. Ask your treatment coordinator before your first cycle whether you qualify — not after.
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Frequently asked questions
Does chemotherapy always cause hair loss?
No — hair loss depends on which drugs are in your regimen. Some cause significant hair loss, some cause thinning, and some cause none at all. Your oncologist can tell you before your first cycle what to expect with your specific medicines. Where hair loss does occur, it is almost always temporary. Hair typically begins to return within weeks of finishing treatment, though the timing and sometimes the texture can vary between people.
Can I eat normally during chemotherapy?
For most people, yes, with some adjustments. Nausea, a changed sense of taste, or mouth soreness may make certain foods unappealing in the days after an infusion. Eating smaller, more frequent meals tends to help on those days, and avoiding very spicy or strong-smelling foods in the immediate days after treatment is a common recommendation. Tell your team about any herbal remedies, dietary supplements, or traditional preparations you are taking — some interact with chemotherapy drugs in ways that matter clinically.
Will I be able to work during chemotherapy?
Many people continue working, at least part-time. Whether you can depends on the type of work, the regimen, and how you personally respond. The days immediately after an infusion are usually the hardest — most people find they need to rest before they feel more themselves. Some manage their usual schedule throughout; others find they need to reduce hours. Your oncologist can advise on what to expect with your specific regimen and whether any activities — such as work with a high infection risk — should be avoided.
Is it safe to be around my family during treatment?
Yes, for most people. Chemotherapy does not make you infectious or contagious to others. However, some regimens temporarily lower your white blood cell count, reducing your own ability to fight infection. During those periods your team may advise you to avoid people who are visibly unwell. Your blood counts will be monitored before each cycle. Children and elderly relatives do not need to be kept away from you as a general rule — ask your team if you are unsure about specific situations.
What happens if I need to delay or miss a cycle?
A planned short delay is not the same as missing treatment. Delays happen — commonly because a blood count is too low, because of an infection, or because a side effect needs time to settle. These situations are anticipated. What you should not do is skip or delay a cycle on your own decision without speaking to your team first. If side effects are making treatment very difficult and you are thinking about stopping, tell your team — there may be adjustments that make it more manageable without affecting how well it works.
How much does a cycle of chemotherapy cost in India?
The cost varies too much between regimens for a single figure to be useful. Regimens using older generic drugs cost significantly less per cycle than those using newer targeted or combination medicines. Beyond the drug itself, the full cost of a cycle includes the consultation, infusion fee, blood tests, and supportive medicines. Ask your oncologist for a written estimate covering all of these for your specific regimen. Ask separately whether you are eligible for PM-JAY or a state government health scheme — this can cover all or a substantial part of the cost for eligible patients.
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