Chemotherapy drugs are usually given into a vein as an injection or through an infusion or drip.
See our chemotherapy page for more information on how treatment is given and possible side-effects.
Chemotherapy for breast cancer
Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill breast cancer cells. There are many different chemotherapy drugs.
About chemotherapy for breast cancer
Chemotherapy is a treatment using drugs to kill cancer cells.
Chemotherapy for breast cancer may be given:
- Before surgery or radiotherapy to shrink the cancer. This can mean having less surgery, and you might be able to have just the tumour removed (a lumpectomy) instead of the whole breast (mastectomy). Chemotherapy also reduces the risk of the cancer coming back.
- After surgery to reduce the risk of it coming back.
- As a treatment on its own for breast cancer that has spread (metastatic breast cancer) or come back (recurrent breast cancer).
- As the first treatment for inflammatory breast cancer.
There are different drugs and combinations of drugs, depending on your type of breast cancer and whether it is early stage or has started to spread (locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer). You can see the chemotherapy drugs usually used for breast cancer in Ireland on the HSE website.
Having chemotherapy for breast cancer
Talk to a Cancer Nurse
Support Line
Our Cancer Nurses offer confidential advice, support and information for anyone affected by cancer. Call or email supportline@irishcancer.ie. Video calls available. Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm
Our Daffodil Centres
Our Daffodil Centres in 13 hospitals nationwide are staffed by Cancer Nurses and trained volunteers who provide face-to-face advice, support and information for anyone affected by cancer.
