TriangleFOR PATIENTS · SOURCE READING
Chemotherapy
Source: Childhood Colorectal Cancer (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 14, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
Context: Types of treatment for childhood cancer
Chemotherapy (also called chemo) uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy either kills the cancer cells or stops them from dividing. Chemotherapy may be given alone or with other types of treatment, such as radiation therapy.
For colorectal cancer, chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein. When given this way, the drugs enter the bloodstream to reach cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy drugs used alone or in combination to treat colorectal cancer in children include:
capecitabine
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fluorouracil (5-FU)
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irinotecan
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oxaliplatin
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Other chemotherapy drugs not listed here may also be used.
To learn more about how chemotherapy works, how it is given, common side effects, and more, visit Chemotherapy to Treat Cancer.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice