Most people have a basic idea of what chemotherapy is. It's a cancer treatment, and its best-known side effect is that it causes patients' hair to fall out. Beyond that, though, how much do you really know about chemo? If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer and is exploring chemotherapy as an option, there are a few more facts you should be aware of.

Chemotherapy is not always given via an IV.

A few decades ago, chemotherapy always meant you would visit a hospital for an IV treatment once a week or so, for an overall period of a few months. Many patients still get chemo this way today, but more and more, doctors are prescribing chemotherapy pills instead. These pills will be prescribed with very specific instructions. You'll take them in the comfort of your own home, which has the benefit of being less stressful and demanding than visiting the hospital repeatedly. Some patients are also prescribed chemotherapy shots that they can self-administer or have a family member administer at home.

Chemotherapy is not always given after surgery.

People often assume that if they are diagnosed with cancer, they will first have surgery to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells. But sometimes, these treatments are given in the opposite order. Your doctor may feel it is best to do a round of chemo to shrink the tumor and stop its spread before surgery is performed to remove the tumor. Each cancer case is different; it's up to your doctor to determine if and how chemo fits into your overall cancer treatment plan.

Chemo side effects can be delayed.

Hair loss and nausea are the best-known side effects of chemo, and they usually appear pretty quickly after treatment begins. But chemo can have other side effects that do not appear until weeks or months later. Infertility is a common consequence, and some patients do not find out they're infertile until a year after chemo. Some patients also discover lung and heart damage further down the road. Your doctor should discuss these long-term side effects with you as you consider whether chemo is right for you.

Chemotherapy is not without its side effects, but still, for many patients, it is a life-saving cancer treatment. Now that you know a bit more about chemo, you can have more informed discussions with your doctor or loved ones. For more information, visit a website like http://swoncology.net/.