Chemotherapy which involves the use of anti cancer drugs to treat cancer is one of the main ways of treating mesothelioma cancer, there are many types of chemotherapy (chemo) that can be taken as a liquid, tablet, or capsule. Oral chemo is any drug you are taking by mouth to treat your cancer. Oral chemo does not need to be injected into the body. Chemo taken by mouth is as strong as the other forms and works just as well. One of the best ways you can help fight your cancer is by taking your chemo exactly as your health team directs you to.

There are also other chemotherapy agents that can not be taken orally as the stomach can not absorb such drugs very well while some of the other chemotherapy agents are actually toxic to the body if taken orally. In fact, quite a number of chemotherapy agents are administered intravenously through an IV line directly into the blood. Oral chemotherapy however is much more easier to take and it can be taken at home.You don't need to go into a hospital or clinic for every treatment.

Sometimes chemo is given in cycles. This cuts down on the harm to healthy cells and allows the drugs to kill more cancer cells. Your doctor will decide if you need to get your treatment every day, every week, every few weeks, or every month.

Before you start taking oral chemotherapy here are some issues that you must discuss with your health team:

- What is the name of the chemotherapy drug you are about to start using? Does it go by some other names?

-How does the drug work?How will it make me feel?

-Are the directions for taking the drugs easy to follow?

- How are my chemotherapy drugs will there be in my drug combination?

- What if I have trouble swallowing and keeping down the pills? Can they be opened, broken, or crushed?

-How often should i take it?When should I take it?

-Is it safe to take it with other drugs, food, vitamins, herbs, supplements, or other treatments you use?

-What should I do if I miss a dose?

-How should I store it?

-What are the likely side effects? How should I report them if I have them? How can I get in touch with you if I have trouble late at night or over the weekend?

-How long will I need to take the oral chemo?For how long will my therapy last?

-Will my insurance pay for oral chemo?

- Will my other health problems stop me from being able to follow your instructions? Is there a chance my other health problems could make me forget to take my oral chemo?

-Will you be calling me to find out how I am doing with the chemo? How often will you need to see me in the office?

Before starting oral chemo, discuss any concerns or questions you have with your health team. Get answers to all of your questions about oral chemo before you start taking it.

You should have clear and specific instructions on how and when to use your chemotherapy drugs. Make sure you follow your health teams instructions to the letter, do not adjust the instructions you were given at all.Take it all just the way your doctor or nurse has told you to.

If you start experiencing problems let your doctor know about them as soon as possible. For instance, if you are throwing up or feel sick to your stomach, you may feel too sick to take your chemo. Or, if you are throwing up, you may not be able to keep your chemo down and may throw up your treatment dose. Your doctor needs to know about any problems so he or she can tell you about whether or not you need changes in your treatment plan.