Chemotherapy Health Feed

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for curing cancer. The procedure includes administering anti-cancer drugs that attack the cancer cells and kill them. This prevents the cancer cells from growing further. As a part of chemotherapy, the person may also undergo radiation therapy and surgery.

But along with destroying the cancer cells, chemotherapy also kills your appetite. You may suffer from nausea, vomiting, sore throat and diarrhoea. As maintaining your diet is crucial for the success of your chemotherapy, you need to stay fit.

Diet before undergoing chemotherapy

On the day of your chemotherapy, it is recommended that you eat light. Eat in small quantities but avoid skipping any meals. You must not consume any greasy, spicy or fatty foods. You can eat the following foods – 

• Cottage cheese and fresh fruits

• Milk with cereals

• Plain yoghurt

• Egg poach and toast

• Chicken rice soup

• Salty snacks such as crackers 

Apart from these foods, you can consume grape and apple juices that are not acidic. Fruits such as bananas and liquid yoghurt are good. Carry a water bottle with you. During the process, you may be given juices and supplements. You may not feel like eating but eating in small amounts will give your energy.

You might drink liquids in small amounts every ½ hour. 

What to eat after chemotherapy

You can follow this diet after chemotherapy – 

• Eat bland and low-fat foods

• Instead of 2 or 3 large meals, eat 5 or 6 smaller meals every day

• Drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help you prevent dehydration and remove the unwanted by-products of created in the body due to chemotherapy

• Other healthy fluids include fruit nectars, apple or grape juice, black tea, clear soups, gelatine, herbal teas and Gatorade

• Take the anti-nausea medication as prescribed by the doctors

• Steps to maintain your diet

As chemotherapy makes your stomach turn, you have to take steps to increase your appetite.

• Don’t skip the calories

Chemotherapy treatment will require you to eat more calories to regain your strength. So your diet must include cheese, milk, meat and eggs. You can also take liquids that are high in calories, such as milkshakes.

• Eat well-cooked and heated foods

Aim to eat thoroughly cooked foods that are also well heated. This is because cooking properly and heating the food well kills all the bacteria in it. This can prevent bowel infections too. 

Chemotherapy reduces your body’s defence against infections and germs. Therefore, it is better to avoid fast food that may not be properly cooked and are difficult to digest.

• Maintain cleanliness

To prevent any kind of infections, always wash your hands before eating your meals. Make sure the utensils used for cooking are clean also. It is recommended to keep the food covered or refrigerated and not lying in the open.

Always try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables during chemotherapy. It is best to talk to your doctor about the diet you should follow to stay fit and healthy.

If a person gets diagnosed with cancer and he/she will get started off with their chemotherapy or radiation treatment, quite typically the hair loss would begin within 10 to 14 days after having gone through the first treatment.

The ideal thing that people can do well before his or her chemotherapy treatment gets underway, is to know exactly what needs to be done for hair loss prior to their first treatment. The activities can involve:

• Going through certain videos that are available online related to wigs and read about their reviews
• Consider about their styles and colours that they would like to experiment with before they put in the wigs

Before we talk more about wigs, let us see what radiation and chemotherapy does to a person:

Chemotherapy and any other kind of radiation can lead to hair loss. People tend to lose hair that only lies in the area, which gets treated. Still, radiation or chemotherapy to one’s head can let people lose either some or all of their hair on the head, which could be even eyebrows and lashes.

As and when a person starts to lose their hair, the ideal suggestion is to either cut the hair very short or shave it off completely. The mental framework becomes much better and it allows them to take complete control of the situation and makes the process of hair loss much easier to handle.

Wigs for Chemotherapy Patients

Choosing a wig is not just like choosing any other fashion accessory. It is a much more important process, particularly when it is about choosing for cancer patients.

The kind of wig a patient wears tends to speak volumes and would want to make it is sending out the right message. The process through which right kind of wig gets chosen is a tricky one. It is best to get hold of a wig, which carries the resemblance with that of his or her natural colour of hair. That would make sure the transformation is not too difficult and will also help patients in being comfortable.

Ideal Size of the Wig

Most of the wigs that are available for patients having undergone chemotherapies carry the appropriate size to fit almost anyone. Still, in order to get the right size, one has to take the measurement by placing the end of his or her measuring device at the centre of their forehead, right at the hairline.

Then get hold of the measuring tape from one’s scalp right down to the back of one’s neck, which run behind their ears and back to their forehead.

Chemotherapy can be frightening, and the very thought of going through it can be an ordeal for most people. Many resources and tips can be used to minimize the discomfort and lessen the burden.

Let us have a look at a few of these:

1. Support network: Chemotherapy can be physically daunting and more than the treatment a person needs all the emotional and moral support he/she can get. Have friends and family always by your side. You can have peace of mind when there is a person you can trust and bank upon in taking care of you.
2. Discuss the medication with your oncologist: Before understanding the treatments have a detailed discussion about the current medication you are undergoing, as this may hamper the chemotherapy treatment. The dosage has to be adjusted accordingly.
3. Keep the body hydrated: Your body gets dehydrated on the day of the treatment. Please ensure that the body is properly hydrated and plenty of fluids are there in the body.
4. Be comfortable: Taking chemotherapy can have an effect on your morale. Hence make sure that you are keeping yourself occupied with books and games or your favorite music to while away the time.
5. Wear comfortable clothes: This makes all the difference in the treatment as having loose fitting clothes can relive pressures in your mind. Always choose clothes that you are comfortable in.
6. Ask questions: Chemotherapy treatments can and will cause side effects. Hence ask and keep yourself updated as much as possible. More importantly after the treatment ask questions on the possible recuperation period and how best to go about it.
7. Symptoms of nausea and vomiting: It is natural that most of the patients feel light headed or have a vomiting sensation when undergoing the treatment. Always make sure that the doctor or the nurse knows about it. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Some medications to prevent nausea can be had along with the chemotherapy drugs.
8. Avoiding infection: Chemotherapy affects the immune system of the body. Hence it can get easily susceptible to diseases. Have a general cleanliness around your surroundings. Avoid crowds if possible and keep your hands always clean and wear clean, comfortable clothes that don't stick to the body.
9. Right diet: Chemotherapy makes you prone to weight loss. Hence having the desired nutritional levels is mandatory. Consult a dietician and eat healthy. It is not advisable to gain weight either during or after chemotherapy.
10. Adequate Rest: Our body needs all the rest that it can get when undergoing chemotherapy. Make sure that the body gets proper sleep and is relaxed. You can try for meditation and simple yoga exercises that can help in rejuvenating the body.
11. Skin Care: Prolonged treatment can affect the moisture content in the skin. Have a good skin cream and lotions handy to take care of it. In some cases, chemotherapy causes hair fall. Make sure that a proper wig or a treatment plan is made beforehand to take care of the issues.

Chemotherapy treatment can be emotionally daunting. Having a few precautions like the ones stated above can make all the difference in how successful we are in coping with it.

Chemotherapy can be frightening, and the very thought of going through it can be an ordeal for most people. Many resources and tips can be used to minimize the discomfort and lessen the burden. Let us have a look at a few of these.

1. Support network: Chemotherapy can be physically daunting and more than the treatment a person needs all the emotional and moral support he/she can get. Have friends and family always by your side. You can have peace of mind when there is a person you can trust and bank upon in taking care of you.
2. Discuss the medication with your oncologist: Before understanding the treatments have a detailed discussion about the current medication you are undergoing, as this may hamper the chemotherapy treatment. The dosage has to be adjusted accordingly.
3. Keep the body hydrated: Your body gets dehydrated on the day of the treatment. Please ensure that the body is properly hydrated and plenty of fluids are there in the body.
4. Be comfortable: Taking chemotherapy can have an effect on your morale. Hence make sure that you are keeping yourself occupied with books and games or your favourite music to while away the time.
5. Wear comfortable clothes: This makes all the difference in the treatment as having loose fitting clothes can relieve pressures in your mind. Always choose clothes that you are comfortable in.
6. Ask questions: Chemotherapy treatments can and will cause side effects. Hence ask and keep yourself updated as much as possible. More importantly, after the treatment ask questions on the possible recuperation period and how best to go about it.
7. Symptoms of nausea and vomiting: It is natural that most of the patients feel light headed or have a vomiting sensation when undergoing the treatment. Always make sure that the doctor or the nurse knows about it. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Some medications to prevent nausea can be had along with chemotherapy drugs.
8. Avoiding infection: Chemotherapy affects the immune system of the body. Hence it can get easily susceptible to diseases. Have general cleanliness around your surroundings. Avoid crowds if possible and keep your hands always clean and wear clean, comfortable clothes that don't stick to the body.
9. Right diet: Chemotherapy makes you prone to weight loss. Hence having the desired nutritional levels is mandatory. Consult a dietician and eat healthily. It is not advisable to gain weight either during or after chemotherapy.
10. Adequate Rest: Our body needs all the rest that it can get when undergoing chemotherapy. Make sure that the body gets proper sleep and is relaxed. You can try for meditation and simple yoga exercises that can help in rejuvenating the body.
11. Skin Care: Prolonged treatment can affect the moisture content in the skin. Have a good skin cream and lotions handy to take care of it. In some cases, chemotherapy causes hair fall. Make sure that a proper wig or a treatment plan is made beforehand to take care of the issues.

Chemotherapy treatment can be emotionally daunting. Having a few precautions like the ones stated above can make all the difference in how successful we are in coping with it.

AVN is the acronym for avascular necrosis, which mostly affects the hip bone. This complication develops when there is a loss of blood flow to the bones. Being a living tissue, bones require a continuous supply of blood, and if there is an interruption to this supply for a long time, bones suffer from avascular necrosis. The longer duration of this condition may cause bone death. Apart from the hips, AVN may also affect other sites like knees, shoulder, ankles, etc.

Symptoms -

Usually, there are no symptoms in the early stages. However, as the disease progresses, it begins to hurt as you sit down or put pressure on the hip bones. As the disease progresses unabated, the pain may refuse to go away. Progressively, the hip bone collapses along with its surrounding joint tissue. Pain becomes severe and begins to interfere with your daily activities. However, it may take several months and even a year for the bone and the surrounding tissue to collapse.

Causes -

Causes of avascular necrosis may include:

• Dislocation of thigh bone affecting the blood supply to the bone. About 20% of people suffering from hip dislocation or fracture may suffer from AVN Hip.

• Chronic use of corticosteroids. About 35% of patients undergoing chronic corticosteroid use may develop AVN Hip. It is considered that these drugs may interfere with the ability of the body to break down fat.

• Alcohol abuse too may lead to avascular necrosis much in the same way as corticosteroids.

• Blood clots, arterial damage, and inflammation may also contribute to blocking the flow of blood to bones and precipitate AVN Hip.

• Other conditions that may contribute to this disease are sickle cell disease of the blood, pancreatitis, diabetes, HIV, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, long term abuse of some drugs, etc.

Treatment -

The objective of treating avascular necrosis is to improve the functioning of joints, reducing pain, and stopping bone damage. In the case of early diagnosis, treatment can be done by taking pain-relieving medicines and by limiting regular use of your hips. Taking crutches to limit weight bearing by the hips may help to relieve pain and limiting damage to the bone. You may also need to perform various range-of-motion exercises in order to ensure continued mobility of the joints.

Treatment Outcome -

Needless to say, that the damage already done cannot be reversed. This is why the earlier the problem is diagnosed, the better it is for the patients. The best outcome of treatment depends on:

• Age of the patient

• Stage of progression of the disease

• Location of bone damage and its spread

• Removing the cause of avascular necrosis, if possible, which means stopping alcohol and drug abuse, taking precautionary steps after femoral dislocations and fractures, stopping the use of corticosteroids, etc.

Take Away -

The symptoms are not visible in the early stage of the condition. This is why a consultation is advisable if a person experiences any of the above symptoms.

Chemotherapy is an integral part of cancer treatment. Anti-cancer drugs are used to target the cancerous cells and destroy them to prevent the spread of the disease. The very name of chemotherapy may invoke fear. However, this fear can be attributed to the misconceptions or incorrect portrayal of the treatment and its effects by the mass media. So, if you are about to undergo a chemotherapy session, then you should arm yourself with the facts about this treatment.

You will not have to stay hospitalized for long

It is a common misconception that chemotherapy requires you to remain hospitalized for days. However, the fact is, you will not even have to stay there overnight. A session can last from half an hour to four hours, after which you will be discharged.

There are different types of Chemotherapy

You may not be hooked up to an IV for your chemotherapy. You may be given chemotherapy pills that you have to take regularly or special chemotherapy creams that you have to rub into the affected place. You may also be given shots that will directly inject the drugs into your body.  

Hair loss is not inevitable

It is true that chemotherapy causes hair fall, but not all combinations of drugs trigger it. Similarly, you may not experience all the dreaded side effects of chemotherapy such as perpetual nausea, diarrhoea, aches and pain, loss of appetite, loss of the sensation of taste, sores. You may experience some, as the intensity differs from one person to the next. The drugs given to you will determine the side effects.

The side effects may exhibit long after the treatment

Not all side effects show up during treatment. Chemotherapy can trigger extensive lung, kidney or heart damage, nerve destruction or infertility – the symptoms of which may not become evident for years.

‘Chemo Brain’ really happens

You may have heard people who have been treated with chemotherapy talk about memory loss, incoherent thought process and fuzziness triggered by the drugs – and it does happen to many people. The drugs are extremely powerful and can send your bodily functions such as secretion of hormones, out of whack that could cause these side effects.

Chemotherapy is utilized for more than just killing cancer cells

The primary function of chemotherapy is to destroy the cancer tumour and if that does not work, a doctor can recommend sessions for –

Eliminating the stray cancer cells that could not be removed during surgery

Shrink the cancer growth before you go in for surgery or other treatment

The Chemotherapy Diet

A special diet exists that can help mellow the intensity of the side effects of chemotherapy. Make sure you eat plenty of –

Proteins (meat, chicken, fish, soy products, dairy)that will repair your damaged cells and tissue

Calories to replenish your depleting reserve of energy

All the vitamins and minerals (colourful vegetables and fruits) to boost all-round good health

Make soup or broth with vegetables and chicken/meat if swallowing solids is difficult

Chemotherapy is shrouded with misconceptions, which may do a lot of harm. Get all the information you need to deal with this form of cancer treatment.

Cancer, or the big C, is always in the news. Use any keyword related to cancer, and there is definitely information overload. Also, with more people surviving cancer, there are too many tales to tell. All this leads to misconceptions and myths, leaving people, who are looking for genuine information, completely confused.

The following are some common misconceptions:

1. Cancer is a new-age disease: There is reference to cancer in ancient Egyptian and Greek stories, so cancer is definitely not new. However, it is true that the incidence has increased tremendously with the modern lifestyle habits.
2. Food items prevent cancer: There are claims that food items like kale, blueberries, broccoli, etc., can prevent cancer. It is not true. They do have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but are not helpful in preventing cancer.
3. Acidic diet causes cancer: The body’s pH is not determined by the food products that we consume. Neither acidic nor alkaline environment is healthy, and further, the body has its own mechanism to regulate pH; so go ahead and eat what you like.
4. Sugars cause cancer: Sugar, believed to be the main energy source, is required for growth. Since cancer is linked to uncontrolled growth, it is believed that more sugar leads to more cancer. This again is a false notion, as there is no connection between the two.
5. Screening is only for breast cancer: Agreed, breast cancer is easy to screen for, but any person with predisposition can go for periodic screening to help in early identification and intervention.
6. Cancer medicines kill more than they cure: Whether it is chemotherapy or radiation, they do not pick only the cancer cells. When directed at a body part, the radiation affects the entire area. Chemotherapy targets and controls growth of a lot of normal processes, thereby affecting normal life.
7. There is no cure for cancer: It is not a simple process. Curing cancer involves multiple facets – some of which may not be known or unearthed. While there are some stories, which talk about how they conquered cancer completely, there are a greater number of failures. Do not conclude on either side. Each person and each type of cancer is treated differently.
8. Tight undergarments are not connected to cancer: As popularly advertised, tight underwear and underwired bras do not cause testicular or breast cancer.
9. Biopsies spread cancer: This is a misconception. Most people are scared to get a biopsy as they perceive that it may spread the cancerous cells to normal areas.

This is just a short list, and there are far too many false notions. Check with your doctor to validate the information before using it to take any decision. 

Fertility Preservation: Options for Cancer patients

Survival rates among young cancer patients have steadily increased over the past two decades in part because of the development of more effective cancer treatments. Today, both women and men can look forward to life after cancer, yet many may face fertility issues as a result of the disease itself or these lifesaving treatments(chemotherapy or radiotherapy).

Fertility options for Men

Established fertility preservation options for men include A) sperm freezing (cryopreservation), in which a semen sample is collected, frozen, and stored for future use or B) testicular sperm extraction, during which sperms are aspirated from the testes through a short surgical procedure and frozen or C) testicular tissue freezing where tissue is checked for sperms and frozen for later use.

Fertility options for Women

Options for women to have children after cancer has evolved significantly in recent years. Women should be counselled for established techniques such as-

A) embryo freezing in which hormonal stimulation causes production of multiple eggs, which are removed & fertilized by sperm, embryos are then frozen for future use or

B) oocyte freezing where oocytes are directly frozen for future use or

C) ovarian tissue freezing, which is not established procedure, It is recommended for prepubertal girls.

Fertility options for Couples

Embryo cryopreservation is an established technique that has been proven to be the most effective one. This process is basically for couples who wish to delay pregnancy e.g.if anyone of them undergoing chemotherapy/radiation treatment or for social reasons in some cases.

Embryo freezing has shown the best results so far amongst all above techniques. They can be frozen for years. Before going ahead with fertility preservation in cancer cases, multiple things need to be taken into consideration which involves teamwork by oncologists, hematologists, fertility specialists, oncosurgeon. It definitely gives a solution for those who wish to preserve their dream to parenthood !!!