Cervical cancer is among the most common cancers throughout the world, but where cervical cancer screening is routine, such as the United States, it is much less common. However, thousands of people in the United States still develop cervical cancer. Luckily, cervical cancer can usually be detected very early and then prevented entirely, just be having routine Pap tests. When detected early, as most cases are, cervical cancer is one of the most successfully treated cancers. Continue Reading Article >
6 Radiation Side Effects to Prepare For
In the case that you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with cancer, you should do whatever you might be able to do to ease the fight during radiation therapy. It's best to be prepared for the side effects of radiation, so you know how to respond adequately. Here's your radiation 101 that you've been searching for. Continue Reading Article >
The Most Common Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Cancer is a terrible and powerful disease affecting millions of people around the world every year. With a disease so strong it only makes sense that the medicines around to treat it are equally so. Chemotherapy is, “a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells.” It does so by attacking only the cells in your body that divide quickly, as cancer cells divide at a much faster rate than healthy cells. While chemotherapy is used to make an individual better, it does not come free of charge, in terms of your body and your wallet.
What Causes Radiation Side Effects?
Radiation and chemotherapy affect everyone differently because all people are different but there are a few physical symptoms of cancer that are the same across the board. These include: pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, anemia, lymphedia, fertility and sexual effects, and an increased severity of infections. Side effects of cancer treatment are caused by the strong dosages and strength of the medicine. The dosages of the medicines are so strong that they can also damage the healthy cells located near the treated area. Because chemotherapy attacks cells that divide quickly, the medicine commonly mistakes hair and mouth tissue calls for cancer because they also divide at a faster rate. And the list of chemotherapy side effects doesn’t stop there.
Chemotherapy Side Effects
Mouth and Throat Sores
As stated above, the mouth and throat are areas that are more easily affected by chemotherapy because they are rapidly dividing cells. The chemotherapy treatment will causes painful sores called mucositis. These sores will usually form within two weeks of treatment and will go away once treatment has stopped completely. These sores can become easily infected so it is important to keep your mouth and teeth clean to help prevent this.
Diarrhea
While undergoing chemotherapy a patient might experience loose or watery bowel movements. Diarrhea can be a serious issue because if left untreated a person can become dehydrated very quickly.
Fatigue
Fatigue is describes as being tired and unable to do anything for long periods of time. Fatigue is the most common side effect of chemotherapy and can sometimes leave patients feeling depressed and helpless.
Constipation
Constipation if untreated can cause an uncomfortable and stiff feeling in the lower abdomen. Drinking lots of water and eating a balanced diet while undergoing chemotherapy can lessen your chance of developing constipation.
Nervous System Effects
Nerve damage is common due to the radiation therapy. This damage can result in nerve or muscle damage including loss of balance, shaking, and weak or sore muscles. Sharp pain to the fingers and toes is also common.
Pain
Common types of pain associates with chemotherapy treatment are: headaches, muscle pain and spasms, stomach pain, and a burning sensation in the fingers and toes. Pain will usually fade over time and can be treated with medicine prescribed by your doctor.
Nausea and Vomiting
Because of the strength of the medicine, chemotherapy can cause nausea and vomiting. Depending on the type of chemotherapy received certain drugs can be taken prior to the treatment to prevent this feeling. Nausea and vomiting may also be responsible for appetite loss during chemotherapy.
Hair Loss
Hair growth happens quickly due to their quick dividing cells. Because chemotherapy is designed to attach cancer cells that reproduce quickly, hair cells are always at risk.
Once cancer treatment ends it is important to not stop caring for your body. Chemotherapy can take a lot out of a person, and care after treatment is essential. Besides daily multivitamins patients should work on low intensity exercises to get muscle movement back, eat a balanced diet, treat pain, and visit a doctor regularly. While chemotherapy comes with its negative effects, sometimes the benefits outweigh the cost.
By Maren Burns
Side Effects of Tomotherapy Treatments
As cancer is such an intense, complicated, and just overall difficult disease to cure, the treatment plans have also become very intense and complicated. Among the more advanced treatments is tomotherapy, which is one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy as well as a revolutionary way to treat cancer.
One of the major cons of typical radiation treatments is the risks of damaging the surrounding tissues. However, by combining very accurate 3-D imaging from CT scanning, or computerizing tomography (hence the name) with precisely targeted radiation beams, tomotherapy minimizes the damage done to the surrounding tissue.
Now, just because one of the major roots of the risks is minimized, it does not mean that there are no side effects from tomotherapy. Regardless of how much fewer side effects are involved, understanding what the side effects are before undergoing any procedure is a necessity, especially for a treatment as intense as radiation. So, here are the most common side effects of tomotherapy.
Side Effects:
Since less radiation reaches the healthy tissues and organs, there are certainly fewer side effects with tomotherapy radiation treatments than there are with other radiation treatments. But, it’s important to be aware of the possible side effects of radiation so you can report them to your doctor if necessary as soon as possible.
· Early Signs of Radiation – Again, despite the increased precision of the radiation beams in tomotherapy, it is still possible to suffer from the effects of radiation reaching healthy areas in your body, so here are the signals:
o Skin irritation and skin rashes,
o Loss of appetite and difficulties with eating and digesting,
o Changes in your urinary and bladder systems,
o Dry mouth, eyes, and throat,
o Difficulty eating and swallowing,
o And headaches, nausea, and vomiting
Other Side Effects
Here are some other side effects on may also experience while undergoing tomotherapy:
o Soreness, pain, and sometimes numbness in and around the treated area,
o Diarrhea and issues associated with the bladder,
o Hair loss in and around the treated area,
o Light sensitivity If the treated area is in and around the face, such as the neck,
o And general exhaustion, tiredness, and fatigue.
At the end of the day, the side effects depend on many individual factors such as your specific medical condition, your general health, other treatments you may receive during the same time frame, and how many tomotherapy sessions you undergo. So, each individual patient with have slightly different risks and side effects depending on their particular circumstances.
Additionally, it is important to remember that you will be under the direct supervision and guidance of a doctor, or team of doctors, that are there to help you through the process. You will most likely meet with them at least once per week to assess your progress while undergoing a certain treatment, so don’t be scared to take that opportunity to let the doctor know about any possible side effects that you are concerned about. Battling cancer is a very tough experience, and understanding what’s going on might help a little with the stress, which can make a huge difference – so, don’t be hesitant when it comes to asking for help!
By Russell McBurnie
5 Cancer Resources
There are many variations of cancer resources, which can help patients and families make the transition and cope with the turmoil they are confronting. A cancer diagnosis is always a frightening reality to experience for a cancer patient and their family, but knowing that there are local and national resources that can help you or your loved ones ease the financial and emotional stress. Here are list of cancer resources that you may find beneficial.
1) Financial Assistance
There are organizations, governments and businesses that assist patients, family members, and friends with the guidance needed to deal with the process of insurance companies, medical billing or settlement issues. Some well-known financial resources for cancer patients are HealthWell Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and American Cancer Society.
2) Hospice Assistance
Hospice care will help you and your family deal with the needs, services, and care that those who are chronically ill require. Hospice care tailors its concentrations not on curing patients, but on caring for them. In the majority of situations, a patient will be provided services at home, but hospice services also operate in freestanding hospice centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities.
3) Emotional Support
A cancer diagnosis can terrify and strip you of everything you thought was sturdy in your life. It will make you feel alone in the world, but there are a plethora of support groups, counseling and patient-to-patient networks to help with this frightening reality.
4) Children’s Services
There are great organizations that offer assistance and helpful services to children diagnosed with cancer, or to children who have a family member dealing with cancer. These wonderful programs will help chronically ill children and their families deal with their anguish, distress and seclusion through some productive entertainment, education, and family activities.
5) Transportation Assistance
Everyday there are cancer patients that need a ride to receive cancer treatment, and many of them have no way to get there. There are people called recovery volunteers who volunteer their time and cars so that patients can receive the life-saving treatment that they need. Also, many other transportation support services are offered through a variety of programs.
You can always locate additional cancer resource services in your local area by consulting your health care doctors, social workers or nurses, who will provide a stock of excellent information about cancer diagnosis and treatment programs. Dealing with cancer is a difficult time for family, friends and cancer victims, and these beneficial resources will help soften the financial and emotional strain.