Treatment Side Effects
Most of us have heard cancer patients discuss the difficulties of dealing with the treatments designed to address their disease. Many say that the treatment side effects are often more difficult to handle than the disease itself.
However, as the years pass and doctors and research scientists discover more and better treatment drugs and procedures, they have also tried to devise methods and medications to lessen the side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. In general, people who have cancer in the 21st century suffer less from unpleasant side affects than patients did 10 to 20 years ago.
Still, mesothelioma victims can expect to encounter some unpleasant experiences caused by their treatments. The best way to combat them, however, is to keep the lines of communication open with the medical team responsible for your care. Be honest about your side effects so that your doctor can help figure out the best way to handle them and lessen your discomfort.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is usually described as the most difficult treatment for many patients to handle because it does carry the potential of so many side effects. However, as was mentioned previously, more and more chemo drugs are being produced that offer reduced side effects as compared with those from years ago. Common side effects of chemo include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Low white blood cell count (which leaves you prone to infection)
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Fever and chills
- Low platelet count (which may cause problems with clotting)
- Generalized achy-ness
- Tingling hands and feet
- Rash
- Depression
- Hair loss
Doctors can offer anti-nausea medications to reduce nausea and vomiting and often suggest over-the-counter medications for aches, fever, and other flu-like symptoms. Some patients turn to alternative therapies to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. Such options include acupuncture, meditation, massage, or hypnosis.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation prompts fewer side effects than chemotherapy and is often less frightening for patients, because it is less likely to cause issues like nausea/vomiting or unsightly hair loss. Newer forms of radiation therapy techniques show reduced damage to nearby healthy cells, therefore causing fewer side effects. Nevertheless, depending on what kind of radiation therapy you receive and how long the treatment lasts, there are a number of side effects that could surface, including:
- Extreme fatigue
- Redness near the treated area
- Mild nausea/vomiting
- Dry mouth
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Hair loss (infrequent)
- Decrease in white blood cells (leaving patient prone to infection)
Again, doctors can suggest medications or other options for lessening the side effects of radiation treatment. Topical creams can address rashes or redness of the skin, though crusting will probably occur at the point of radiation and may require bandaging to promote healing. Anti-nausea drugs can lessen stomach distress. A reduction in activities may be necessary to fight fatigue caused by both chemo and radiation. As with chemotherapy, patients may choose alternative therapies to combat unpleasant side effects.
