Chemotherapy refers to the use of medications to help stop cancer cells from multiplying and growing. The medication travels throughout the body and is able to reach tiny cancer cells that have migrated from the original site but are not even detectable. It is a systemic treatment, which means it treats the whole body, rather than a local treatment, like radiation, which only affects the targeted area.
Side Effects on Blood Counts
While on treatment, you will have a blood test called a CBC, or complete blood count, fairly often. This will show the doctor the amount of red and white cells and other changes in your blood and help determine if you are healthy enough for continuing treatment. A common side effect of chemotherapy is neutropenia, which is a low white blood cell count, according to chemotherapy.com. White cells help the body fight off infection, and if you have a very low white blood cell count, another treatment will have a more progressive effect, and your body may not be able to fight off infection because your immune system will be severely weakened. Treatment may be delayed for a week until your white blood cell count comes up. Anemia is the term for a low red blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen to various parts of your body, and if there is a deficiency of red blood cells, you may have fatigue. This can often be alleviated by medications and blood transfusions. Platelets help your blood to clot. A low platelet count is called thrombocytopenia. If this occurs, you may experience easy bruising and bleeding that is difficult to stop.
Physical Side Effects
Chemotherapy targets fast-growing cells. While this means it works on cancer cells, it also works on other fast-growing cells like those of your hair, according to the American Cancer Society. The side effects you experience may not be the same as the side effects other people have; it depends on which drugs are used, the treatment regimen, dosage and your general health. The American Cancer Society lists the most common side effects as including: nausea, vomiting, loss of hair, fatigue, abnormal blood counts and infection. Other physical side effects include mouth sores, peripheral neuropathy (problems with nerves in fingers and feet ), bladder irritation, dry skin and possibly adverse effects on the testes and ovaries regarding fertility. Many people also mention "chemo brain," which is similar to a "mental cloudiness," with trouble remembering things, difficulty concentrating and having a more difficult time multitasking. After treatment ends, many of these side effects subside. Some may take longer than others, and some may be long-lasting, depending on the drugs given and the dosages.
All the physical changes due to the cancer and chemotherapy may have an impact on you emotionally, and you may struggle with feelings of anxiety, depression and fear. Many people have these emotions, and it is completely normal. Talk to your health care team about how you are feeling in order to get the support and assistance you need.
Targeted Therapies
Targeted therapies are a type of chemotherapy that target only cancer cells, or parts of cancer cells, to help stop their growth. The aim is to damage the cancer cells while affecting healthy cells as little as possible. Drugs in this category include cetuximab ( Erbitux), lapatinib (Tykerb) and erlotinib (Tarceva). These drugs can be used in combination with other chemotherapeutic drugs or with radiation therapy, or they can be used alone. While they do not affect blood cell counts, targeted therapies have been found to cause skin changes or rashes, according to the American Cancer Society. Because these drugs target things like growth receptor cells and blood vessels, rashes often start, and the skin may become very dry, red, itchy, and flaky. Less common side effects with this class of chemotherapy drugs include diarrhea, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and high blood pressure.
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