Understand what creates good communication between patients and their doctors.
Once you start chemotherapy, it’s natural to want to know whether your treatments are working. Keep in mind that your body’s response may not be immediate. Usually, 1 cycle of chemotherapy is not enough, and you will probably undergo 2 or 3 cycles of treatment before your doctor can measure your response.
How is my progress measured?
After you’ve finished your treatment cycles, you will have frequent exams and tests to monitor your progress. These may include:
- Physical exams to check for lumps
- Imaging tests to see if tumor size has changed
- Blood tests
- Tumor marker tests to detect substances that point to cancer
What are the possible results?
Your doctor will define your response to chemotherapy in one of several ways. Your exams and tests may show:
- Complete response—Cancer has disappeared
- Partial response—Some tumor has shrunk but some remains
- Stable disease—No change; cancer has remained the same
- Disease progression—Cancer has grown or spread
If you’re unsure of what to expect from chemotherapy, talk to your doctor or nurse. To make the most of your discussion, see what questions to ask.
Are side effects an indication of effectiveness?
You may wonder if having side effects such as nausea and vomiting means chemotherapy is working. Or, if you have no ill effects, you may worry that the treatments are not working. Note that side effects—whether or not you have them—do not indicate how well your treatments are working.
And remember: If you are concerned about possible side effects, talk with your doctor. There may be simple strategies or medicines that can help you avoid side effects such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). (Learn about a medicine that helps prevent CINV.)
