How does cancer limit an individuals physical development?

Answer 1

Physical changesMany of us will undergo chemotherapy, in which we take powerful cancer-killing drugs orally or intravenously. We will undergo many physical changes as we endure these treatments. While chemo's side effects are quite intense, they are often transitory and manageable.

Common side effectsThe drugs used in chemotherapy pack quite a wallop -- not only on cancer cells but also on healthy cells throughout our bodies, from our skin to the very insides of our intestines.

We can expect to experience any one of the more than a dozen common physical side effects of chemotherapy, and sometimes several at once, including:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Hair loss
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue or anemia
• Infection
• Blood clotting problems
• Mouth, gum, and throat problems
• Diarrhea and constipation
• Nerve and muscle effects
• Skin and nail changes
• Kidney and bladder effects
• Fluid retention
• Tooth decay
• Sexual changes

A few of us will experience more long-term side effects, such as damage to our hearts, lungs, or reproductive organs. These can occur long after our treatment stops. More and more people, however, are undergoing chemo with no side effects at all, or at least ones that are mild and tolerable.

Immediate and chronic effectsAll side effects are categorized as either immediate or chronic. Immediate ones come and go soon after we complete chemotherapy. Chronic effects, such as low blood counts, linger through treatment and sometimes beyond.

Chronic effects also can produce a domino-like reaction of further side effects, such as low blood counts that make us susceptible to infections we otherwise wouldn't get.

Managing side effectsIt's a good idea to talk with your healthcare team about what side effects to expect and how to deal with them. By managing these effects wisely, we can sail through chemo treatment, holding fast to our goal of recovering our good health.

We also can experience conditions that no one told us about, such as shaking, chills, bleeding, bruising, swelling, rashes, shortness of breath, or increased pain. Always let your doctor know if these or any other unusual symptoms arise.

Though side effects sound scary, dealing with them helps us remember that our task is to kill the cancer. We want to make sure the monster never rears its head again. We're enduring six or so months of chemo hell so we can extend and enjoy our lives. There may be chemo Horror stories out there, but we may be the lucky ones who it doesn't affect that badly.