Is chemotherapy harmful? Side effects of chemotherapy

While chemotherapy kills cancer cells, it may also kill normal cells in the human body. If the situation is serious, it can cause bone marrow suppression and affect the patient's digestive tract function.

1. Bone marrow suppression

Myelosuppression refers to a decrease in the activity of blood cell precursors in the bone marrow. The inability to divide normally causes the hemoglobin, white blood cells, granulocytes and platelets in the blood to be lower than the normal range. The Western medicine method is to inject a single component to temporarily increase the index, such as white blood cell injections.

2. Digestive tract reactions

Digestive tract symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. are quite common, and some may even last for more than a week. Pay attention to diet and encourage patients to eat more nutritious and easily digestible foods, eat small meals frequently, avoid greasy and irritating foods, and drink water when having diarrhea. Those who eat less can receive nutrition through intravenous injection.

3. Poisoning of the nervous system

It is related to the total amount, which is more obvious when used in large doses or repeatedly. It damages the hair cells of the ear and mouth apparatus and causes high-frequency hearing loss. Some patients experience dizziness, tinnitus, deafness, and high-frequency hearing loss; a few people experience retrobulbar neuritis, paresthesia, and loss of taste. Pay attention to hydration, and you can also add mannitol as a diuretic. You should drink plenty of water while taking the medicine and keep epinephrine, corticosteroids and antihistamines on hand for emergency use.

Patients should be advised not to rinse their mouths with ice water or eat cold food, because low temperatures can cause throat spasms. Steroid drugs should generally not be used during treatment (except for antiemetic and anti-allergic purposes). To reduce neurotoxicity, vitamin B1, B6 and selenium malt are taken regularly. Patients who are receiving chemotherapy with cisplatin should not take other anticancer drugs that are currently under clinical research during treatment.