A regimen of Chemotherapy is usually administered in cycles. A regimen is the specific combination of Chemotherapy drugs that you will receive and the number of cycles you will undergo at this stage of treatment. Over time, the prescription can change as doctors and nurses see how the body responds to the different medicines. Many patients may have to change their medication several times before finding the one that works best for them.
One of the common terms used when speaking of Chemotherapy is “cycle”. A cycle of Chemotherapy is the repetition of the way a drug or group of drugs is delivered for a given number of days. For example, one cycle may mean taking the medication every day one week and then taking rest the next week. The loop repeats several specified times. The doctors select the drugs and the number of Chemotherapy cycles. They also determine the dosage of the drugs to be administered and how frequently they should be given. Often you will have to change the dosage or dose of a chemo drug because of the way the body reacts to the medications.
