What are some of the side effects of chemotherapy?

Question

Can anything be done to mitigate the side effects?

Answer 1

The information below should be helpful, but I suggest looking at multiple resources such as:

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=176
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_2_1x_Managing_Side_Effects_of_Chemotherapy.asp?sitearea=MBC
http://www.insidedisease.com/cancer-therapies/chemotherapy.html

Side-effects

The treatment can be physically exhausting for the patient. Current chemotherapeutic techniques have a range of side effects mainly affecting the fast-dividing cells of the body. Important common side-effects include (dependent on the agent):

* Hair loss
* Nausea and vomiting
* Diarrhea or constipation
* Anemia
* Malnutrition
* Depression of the immune system hence (potentially lethal) infections and sepsis
* Hemorrhage
* Secondary neoplasms
* Cardiotoxicity
* Hepatotoxicity
* Nephrotoxicity
* Ototoxicity
* Death

Immunosuppression and myelosuppression

Virtually all chemotherapeutic regimens can cause depression of the immune system, often by paralysing the bone marrow and leading to a decrease of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. The latter two, when they occur, are improved with blood transfusion. Neutropenia (a decrease of the neutrophil granulocyte count below 0.5 x 109/litre) can be improved with synthetic G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, e.g. filgrastim, lenograstim, Neupogen®, Neulasta®.)

In very severe myelosuppression, which occurs in some regimens, almost all the bone marrow stem cells (cells which produce white and red blood cells) are destroyed, meaning allogenic or autologous bone marrow cell transplants are necessary. (In autologous BMTs, cells are removed from the patient before the treatment, multiplied and then re-injected afterwards; in allogenic BMTs the source is a donor.) However, some patients still develop diseases because of this interference with bone marrow.
Nausea and vomiting

Nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy; stomach upset may trigger a strong urge to vomit, or forcefully eliminate what is in the stomach.

Stimulation of the vomiting center results in the coordination of responses from the diaphragm, salivary glands, cranial nerves, and gastrointestinal muscles to produce the interruption of respiration and forced expulsion of stomach contents known as retching and vomiting. The vomiting center is stimulated directly by afferent input from the vagal and splanchnic nerves, the pharynx, the cerebral cortex, cholinergic and histamine stimulation from the vestibular system, and efferent input from the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ). The CTZ is in the area postrema, outside the blood-brain barrier, and is thus susceptible to stimulation by substances present in the blood or cerebral spinal fluid. The neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin stimulate the vomiting center indirectly via stimulation of the CTZ.

The 5-HT3 inhibitors are the most effective antiemetics and constitute the single greatest advance in the management of nausea and vomiting in patients with cancer. These drugs are designed to block one or more of the signals that cause nausea and vomiting. The most sensitive signal during the first 24 hours after chemotherapy appears to be 5-HT3. Blocking the 5-HT3 signal is one approach to preventing acute emesis (vomiting), or emesis that is severe, but relatively short-lived. Approved 5-HT3 inhibitors include: dolasetron (Anzemet®), granisetron (Kytril®), and ondansetron (Zofran®). The newest 5-HT3 inhibitor, Aloxi® (palonosetron), also prevents delayed nausea and vomiting, which occurs during the 2-5 days after treatment.

Some studies and patient groups claim that the use of cannabinoids derived from marijuana during chemotherapy greatly reduces the associated nausea and vomiting, and enables the patient to eat. Some synthetic derivatives of the active substance in marijuana (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) such as Marinol may be practical for this application. Natural marijuana, known as medical cannabis is also used and recommended by some oncologists, though its use is regulated and not everywhere legal.
Other side effects

In particularly large tumors, such as large lymphomas, some patients develop tumor lysis syndrome from the rapid breakdown of malignant cells. Although prophylaxis is available and is often initiated in patients with large tumors, this is a dangerous side-effect which can lead to death if left untreated.

A proportion of patients reports fatigue or non-specific neurocognitive problems, such as an inability to concentrate; this is sometimes called post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment, colloquially referred to as "chemo brain" by patients' groups

Specific chemotherapeutic agents are associated with organ-specific toxicities, including cardiovascular disease (e.g., doxorubicin), interstitial lung disease (e.g., bleomycin) and occasionally secondary cancer (e.g. MOPP therapy for Hodgkin's disease).

Answer 2

Side effects from chemotherapy will depend upon the type of drug used, whether it is used in combination with other drugs, the dosage that is given, and the length of time for treatment. My son recieved high dose chemotherapy for 9 months. It took about threee months for him to lose all his hair. That didn't really bother him as much as it bothers some people. He just wore a cap or went shiny top. During the actual days that he had chemotherapy he was an inpatient because of the high toxicity of the drugs. He took Vincristine, Cytoxan, and Doxirubicin for 7 days and than was sent home for 21 - 25 days. He rotated the above with Etoposide and Ifosimide (3 day hospital stay). He used plenty of medications to get him through those days. And, basically found out that the nausea and vomiting can be controlled if you stay ahead of it. So, he elected to have round the clock anti-nausea meds consisting of Ativan, Zophran, Kytril, Benedryl, and Reglan as needed. Sometimes odor would trigger the feeling of nausea so he used Essense of Peppermint to mask the smells.

The medication made him tired and so he slept through most of his treatments.

He's home now on a different chemotherapy protocol of Irinotecan and Temodar. This is a two week stint and the worst side effect is diarrea. He uses Immodium he that starts to bother him.

Once the treatment stops for that cycle he begins to feel fine within a day or two. He uses meds when he feels that he needs it. But since it makes him tired he doesn't ordinarily like to use it after treatments end.

Those are the worst side effects for him.

Answer 3

You do not state the type of chemotherapy. 99.5% have some sort of side effects. Nausea, vomiting, hair loss. White cells wiped out.(this in turn can cause a secondary infection that is as dangerous as the cancer itself)
To Mitigate these side effects I can recomend Poly Mva. It reduces these dramitcally. www.polymva.com
Marijuna where it is legal hmmm
Marinol a synthetic form of Marijuana, that to me is 10 times more potent!! Tried all above and works wonders. I am now cancer free but it certainly helped to have something to negate the awfuls!!

Answer 4

each type of chemotherapy has its own side effects like any other drugs, they can have adverse effects too which u will be told to watch for, now there are medications given to avoid those side effects but like any other kind of medications the gravity of the side effects will still be an individual experience. i was told in one of my classes that people who get carsick or seasick easily, get more nauseated with chemo more than others, so that should be taken into consideration, maybe give more anti-nausea medication as premed.

Answer 5

From a cancer survivor:
Don't worry.
The worst that can happen is death.
You will lose your hair.
You will vomit.
There aren't too many long term physical or mental side effects. (I run varsity cross country as a freshman in highschool and was valedictorian of my junior high class).
To help cope with the side effects:
Pray.
Do fun things to distract yourself.
Try not to think about the worst or the pain.
Act normal when you can.

Answer 6

My father in law had a rare form of cancer and they gave him some very powerful anti nausea medicine that worked pretty good. He never did loose any hair. He is fully recovered which I believe speaks for the advances in medicine and Gods grace. They do try very hard to curb any side effects.

Answer 7

There are many different types of chemo. I was on adriamycin-puking,energy loss- hair loss total,stayed in bed til next treatment (every 3 wks) Cytoxan: leg muscle pain. And another. But, to your question. Yes, there are meds for puking, for energy I received Procrit-increases red blood cells, felt like a million bucks. Pain meds. No morphine.

Answer 8

it really depends on the type of chemo drug you are on there is texatear ,herceptin the side affects can be helped with meds from your doctor such as being sick ,pain,tired,low white blood count but there is nothing that can be done about the hair loss my mom has breast cancer had 32 rounds of chemo lost all of her hair and finger nails her hair came back about 4 weeks after the chemo was over and she is getting her finger nails back now she is 61 and i think if she can hang in there you can to

Answer 9

There is nothing that can stop the side effects of Cimo. Some of the side effects are hair loss throat hurting not being able to eat. Weak immune system hope this helped!

Answer 10

The term chemotherapy, or chemorefers to a wide range of drugs used to treat cancer. These Drugs causes some side effects. Some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy include various pains, weakness, looseness of the bowels, bruises in the throat and mouth, blood issue, and clogging, as indicated by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Especially Side effects on skin is very serious to think it.
They are as follows:
-redness.
-rash.
-itching.
-dryness.
-acne.