Side effects

Chemotherapy Side-effects

It is important to emphasise how modern chemotherapy has allowed the reduction of side-effects which are an obstacle to its use. Furthermore, as a rule, these effects may progressively decrease starting from the end of the treatment.

Among the most common side-effects caused by the use of chemotherapeutic drugs there are, first of all, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms can be reduced/controlled by an appropriate use of antiemetics (that is active against nausea and vomiting) whose prescription is made by the oncologist when the troubles appear. Because of a mechanisms typical of chemotherapeutic drugs, a possible reduction in the number of the healthy cells of the blood can also be observed. This may lead to an increased risk of infection and a rise in the feeling of general fatigue. It is up to the oncologist to evaluate such risks and their timely treatment, if any.

In case of mouth ulcerations or lack of appetite - which are frequent with certain chemotherapeutic drugs - mouthwashes reducing inflammation and, for inappetence, special energy drinks commonly sold in pharmacies will be indicated.

Several chemotherapeutic drugs, but not all, may also cause a huge loss of hair, fortunately completely reversible in a short time after the end of the therapeutic cycle.

Radiation Therapy Side-effects

Radiation therapy can cause side-effects as fatigue and nausea of various intensity according to the length of treatment and its strength. As already stated for chemotherapy, in case of nausea the so-called antiemetics, to be taken under the physician's control, can reduce the trouble in most cases. Similarly, in case of swallowing disturbances or loss of appetite, the use of the above-mentioned energy drinks will be recommended.

Side-effects of Target Therapy or Biological Agents

The Target Therapy or therapy with Biological Agents makes use of a new class of innovative and specific drugs which, acting towards tumour cells in a different and much more selective way than classic chemotherapy, cause, normally, significant less toxicity towards healthy cells than the latter. The most common side-effects resulting from the use of Biological Agents in the treatment of lung cancer are mostly linked to symptoms such as diarrhoea and skin rashes. It has to be reported that also side-effects related to the interaction of these medications with the immune system - with a possible increase in the risk of infections - blood toxicity (alterations of blood cells, especially in case of simultaneous treatment with standard chemotherapy), hypertension and an increased tendency to tiredness may appear, though less frequently.

Related file



Anaemia
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Asthenia
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Nausea and Vomiting
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