Adrese efect of chemotherapy

Background: Chemotherapy is an important modality used in treating cancer diseases. Strictly speaking, the term chemotherapy refers to treatment with cytostatic drugs. This treatment is associated with a number of adverse effects that, more or less, can currently be managed and prevented. The most common adverse effects include fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, diarrhoea and constipation, blood count alterations such as anaemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and associated infections, fever, or bleeding. Many side effects of chemotherapy occur in patients within one or several days of chemotherapy administration, after patients have returned home. Patients and their families should be informed on what side effects can be expected with particular types of chemotherapy, and should obtain basic information on how to manage these adverse effects. Of major importance for patients is the information on when they should seek medical attention and where to turn for help when not certain how to manage a health problem that has occurred. Therefore, it is necessary to acquaint patients with possible adverse effects and the ways of treating and preventing them already in the office prior to chemotherapy administration. Purpose: The review article discusses chemotherapy adverse effects, their management and possible prophylaxis.

Conclusion: Nowadays, not only the treatment of cancer disease itself, but also the quality of life of the patient treated for the disease are both very important. Hence, adequate attention has to be paid to adverse effects that may occur as a result of treatment, as well as to the use of prophylaxis that is an equally important part of patient care.

Keywords: adverse effects, prophylaxis, chemotherapy.