Side effects of Chemotherapy

Most immediately associated with unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy. But the side-effect management has increased significantly over the last twenty years.Many had side effects may be unavoidable to prevent or adequately ruled today.
There is no reliable way to predict how patients respond to chemotherapy. Some experience very mild side effects, others have none at all, while some people report different symptoms.

Depending on the type of cancer and treatment, chemotherapy may have a greater impact on the work of the patient or radiation. Women with breast cancer chemotherapy, appear more frequently than those treated with radiation therapy to a significant change in the status of work experience, according to researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Below is a list of the most commonly reported side effects:
Nausea and vomiting

More than half of all patients receiving chemotherapy are nausea and vomiting. Doctors are often prescribed anti-emetic. This should be taken, even if symptoms disappear, as they prevent them from returning. If anti-emetics are not working, the patient should contact their physician to switch to another anti-emetic.

Ginger - Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center found that taking ginger supplements with standard anti-vomiting drugs of nausea that often follows chemotherapy treatment of 40%.

Alopecia (hair loss)

Some chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss, while others do not. When it begins to fail at this will usually occur several weeks after treatment begins. In some cases it is thinner and more fragile () without falling off. Hair loss can occur in a part of the body.
Although hair loss is no physical impact on health, it can cause anxiety and embarrassment for some people. The psychological effect is usually more women than men. If you suffer from hair loss, and it causes distress and embarrassment, there are several things you can do:

* Talk with your doctor can refer you to that you can give to a consultant, effective help and support.

* Many people believe that if they buy a wig the quality of life greatly improved.

* If there is a cancer support group in your area, go to their meetings. People meet to share similar experiences, can help to give you a boost, and give you some useful tips, and maybe a chance to make new friends.
* Cool cap - it looks a bit like a bicycle helmet and keeps the scalp cool during chemotherapy. If the scalp can be kept refrigerated less chemotherapy drugs coming into the scalp, thus preventing the incidence or severity of hair loss. Some people can not wear a cold cap - leukemia (blood cancer) patients, the drug reach the scalp.

Hair is not permanent - it will be ready to grow again soon after treatment.

Fatigue
Most patients undergoing chemotherapy will experience some degree of fatigue. This is a general feeling that most of the day, or it can appear only for specific activities. Doctors say that patients who ensures proper rest and not over work assignments.

Although light exercise has been shown to help, it is important to remember to keep the light of these activities.

If drowsiness is severe, it is important to the doctor because her from a significant reduction in red blood cells (anemia) may be due.

Hearing impairment (deafness, ototoxicity)

Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University reported that hearing loss is a side effect of chemotherapy coverage has long been known by the medical community to use as a classification system for reporting physicians toxicity in patients ignored high-frequency hearing loss, and the volume of ototoxicity (deafness) in children treated with platinum agents must be clarified.

Children with cancer, hearing loss from the toxic effects of chemotherapy suffer, maybe one day be able to get away with their hearing again pharmacological and gene therapy, said researchers from St. Jewish Children's Research Hospital, after a study on mice.

Neutropenia (low white blood cells) - susceptibility to infections

In chemotherapy, the immune system weakened, because the white blood cells decreases. White blood cells are part of our immune system - they fight infection.Therefore, patients are more prone to infections.

Some patients are prescribed antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection. The following precautions will help reduce the risk of infection:

* Personal hygiene - the cleaner you are, the fewer bacteria can infect ca. Regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap, bath or shower at least once a day, change clothes and towels and washcloths daily. Change sheets regularly.

* Food Preparation - Ensure that the food is free from food-borne pathogens (organisms such as bacteria make you sick). If you handle raw meat to ensure that your hands before touching the plate and utensils or work surfaces. Thorough cooking of animal proteins come to eat them. Wash thoroughly and you will always have a clean plate and cutlery - cleaning the kitchen.

* Infected people - to stay away from people who are sick. This can also include those that only one temperature.

* Skin-wound - the bacteria in hard to find in the skin, unless a part. To strip or cut the skin with warm water, dry cleaning, and with a sterile bandage.

Chemotherapy patients develop an infection, prompt treatment. This could mean that the hospital and receive antibiotics through a drip.

Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) - Problems with blood clots

Chemotherapy, blood platelets of the patient. A tile is a type of cells used in helping blood clot (coagulation). Coagulation is vital, otherwise not stop bleeding.Lower platelet count with chemotherapy is a risk, but less than the lower red or white blood cells. If you can bruise easily, you will often nosebleeds and bleeding gums, and if you cut yourself, the more difficult to stop the bleeding.

Patients platelets are low for having a blood transfusion.

Here are some steps that you will reduce the risk of bleeding:

(* Shave with an electric razor or even shaved)
* Avoid hard toothbrush
* Use of kitchen and garden care
* If you are in the garden, gloves

Anemia (low red blood cell)

In addition to reducing the white blood cells, chemotherapy also lower red blood cells. Tissues and organs in the body gets its oxygen from red blood cells. If red blood cells are in many parts of the body is not NOK oxygen, and you will develop anemia.

People with anemia feel tired. A patient on chemotherapy anemia feel extra tired - more than just tired of the treatment because of fatigue. Dyspnea (breathlessness) is another symptom of anemia, such as palpitations (when the heart is irregular).

Anemia with chemotherapy requires immediate treatment. A blood transfusion, the number of red blood cells immediately returned. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a substance the body produces more red blood cells.

The following foods are rich in iron, the red blood cells that help carry more oxygen. Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, meat, nuts, prunes, raisins and apricots.

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, showed that patients with breast cancer who developed anemia during chemotherapy nearly three times the risk of local recurrence, it was not.

Mucositis (inflammation of the mucous membranes)

Chemotherapy attacks rapidly share cells, such as blood, bone marrow cells and cells in the mucous membranes in the digestive tract - this includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestine and rectum to the anus. Chemotherapy can damage and even destroy some of these mucosal cells.

Oral mucositis (mouth) - Patients with symptoms often in the mouth.

If symptoms occur, they usually 7 to 10 days after starting treatment. The inside of the mouth can feel like sunburn, some say it feels as if the room were burned.Ulcers often appear in the mouth, tongue, and sometimes even the lips. The severity of the symptoms are closely related to the strength of the dose of chemotherapy.

Some find it painful when they drink and eat, or even to speak. If the wound bleeding is a risk of infection.

Caphosol is often prescribed for mucositis.

A clinical study showed that of 100 cancer patients with chemotherapy DAVANAT ® and 5-FU treatment contain does not develop mucositis.

As there will be more and more drugs, mucositis is increasingly rare. Symptoms clear a few weeks after treatment is completed.

Anorexia

Anorexia is a common side effect of chemotherapy. It is possible that chemotherapy or cancer itself, the metabolism of the body affected. If anorexia is simply by chemotherapy, he will come back when treatment is finished - in a few weeks.

The severity of appetite and subsequent weight loss, depends on the type of cancer and chemotherapy.

Although this is often easier said than done, it is important to try to eat well and drink plenty of fluids yourself. Many patients find that smaller and more frequent meals are easier than regular meal three to one-day therapy. Even liquids through a straw to an increased fluid intake.

Patients who have a strong lack of food and fluid intake affect the hospital and fed through a stomach tube. The pipe goes into the nose of the patient and his / her stomach.

Nails and skin

Chemotherapy can sometimes cause skin dryness and painful. Nails can also be eccentric and crazy. The skin is sensitive to sunlight. It is important to guard against excessive sun exposure. This also includes the residence of the sun during peak hours in the day, with sunscreen and wear clothes that provide maximum protection.Surprisingly, researchers reported at Michigan University, USA, that the chemotherapy drug fluorouracil, the appearance of sun damaged and aging skin to reduce the number of potential precancerous spots on the skin.

Cognition

Approximately one-fifth of patients who receive chemotherapy report a kind of cognitive problems, including attention, thinking and memory. This may have an impact on their daily tasks. Patients experiencing these symptoms should talk to your doctor and social workers.

Symptoms may include:

* A shorter attention span, concentration, concentration and attention problems
* Memory problems, especially short-term memory
* Understanding and comprehension problems
* Reasoning and Case Problems
* Organizational skills can be affected
* The multi-tasking issues (Performing / thinking about different things at once)
* Mood swings

Experts are not sure how much a result of chemotherapy, and how much the result of fatigue, stress and anxiety that comes with having cancer.

Libido (libido) and fertility

For a significant proportion of patients, chemotherapy can result in a lower libido, less interest in sex (). This is usually transient and will be completed after the treatment.

Depending on the type of medication administered, chemotherapy can also damage the male sperm. Some women are infertile. Already implemented in most cases - but not all - of fertility after treatment.

Men who wish to father children and women planning a pregnancy one day to discuss possible options with their doctor before treatment. It is possible to freeze sperm and embryos.

Intestinal problems (diarrhea or constipation)

Sometimes, as damaged cells in the intestine rapidly excreted from the body, there is a risk of diarrhea. Constipation is also a potential risk for chemotherapy patients. You should talk to your doctor if you have unpleasant change in the gut experience. Symptoms when they occur, so a few days after starting chemotherapy.

Depression

The risk of developing depression is already higher in patients with cancer. It's normal, sad, anxious, sad, stressed - especially if you are about what the future holds and whether the treatment is concerned to be effective.

It is important that you speak with a member of the medical team, when you add it too much, or if you do not get more joy in the things that you can use it. Connect to assist with a group and talk to people who are like you and understand how you feel will help many people with cancer.