Chemotherapy is often described as a necessary ordeal – in fact, many patients compare the waves of chemotherapy as similar in effect to the debilitation caused by the malignancy being cured. This observation carries a lot of truth, since chemotherapy targets both healthy and malignant cells, so discomforting symptoms like nausea and vomiting are consequences of treatment. Chemotherapy becomes health-threatening when it affects the immune system; for instance, if you’re taking chemo sessions for breast cancer, you’re body obtains a higher susceptibility to infections, and your immune system may have a harder time fending off such as soon as it develops.
Chemotherapy lowers your immunity since it breaks down cells which rapidly develop in the body. The purpose is to hamper the growth of malignancy, but since the white blood cells which are produced in the follicles, the digestive tract, and the bone marrow also multiply at a rapid rate, they are caught in the dragnet and destroyed as well. If you or someone you know is currently undergoing chemotherapy, take note that different types of treatment will have varied effects to the immune system. Scheduled blood tests can help monitor the white blood cell count in the body, and there is a chance that it will not dip below normal levels throughout the entire treatment. If the opposite case is true, a condition referred to as neutropenia may be present; this means that the body’s white blood cell count is very low, and susceptibility to infection is greater.
If the patient bears a high risk for infection, he or she has to avoid all situations wherein exposure to an infection is possible. There is practically nothing which can be done to hamper the decrease of white blood cells with chemotherapy, and prevention is the best way to deal with infection. The patient needs to take acute safety precautions since the immune system is very much vulnerable, even to bacterial strains which are harmless in normal people. The common areas of entry are skin abrasions, wounds, or cuts, through the digestive tract, and through the genitals. The general advice is to keep these areas clean, and to avoid situations which can cause them to be injured.
The normal hygienic precautions will not suffice in such a condition though, and you have to take note of the little things; frequent hand-washing is essential, and you also have to attend to any abrasions and cuts as soon as you obtain them. Refrain from using tampons and antiperspirants, as these can be conducive breeding grounds for bacteria. Do not cause an infection by cutting or picking at your cuticles, and by all means avoid squeezing or scratching acne areas. Wear protective gear while doing house chores; potholders for cooking, and gloves for doing the dishes and the laundry. Avoid all raw foods; even fresh fruits and vegetables carry a potential risk for those with lowered immunities. If chemotherapy is an unavoidable treatment, the best thing you can do is bear the brunt of the side effects, and take extra measures to ensure that you don’t suffer secondary health risks as a result of a weakened immune system.
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Comment by jenna — June 3, 2009 @ 11:14 am