Treatments & their impacts: Chemotherapy Chemotherapy is the use
of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. The
drugs are usually given intravenously (by injection into a
vein), and as a course of treatment lasting a few days. This is
followed by a rest period of a few weeks which allows the body
to recover from any side effects of the treatment. The number of
courses that are given depend on the type of cancer and how well
it is responding to the drugs. Treatment is usually given as an
out-patient. Women who have been diagnosed with DCIS do not need
to have chemotherapy. One of the women we spoke with had
chemotherapy because she had invasive breast cancer in one
breast and DCIS in the other. Last reviewed November 2011.