Chemotherapy is a medical treatment used to treat cancer. In chemotherapy treatment, anti-cancerous drugs are administered to stop or slow down the growth of cancerous cell.

Chemotherapy is applied by various means including injections, orally, intravenously and topically. Though treating cancer with chemotherapy  is effective, it is also associated with side effects, which include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, hair loss, memory loss, low appetite, sickness, and many others. Patient receiving chemotherapy is also at risk for developing infection related to low white blood cells.

Patients having following conditions are at high chemotherapy risks and infections:

If the patient is receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy, then it can lead to a decrease in the number of blood cells for the patient.

If the patients have open wounds or tissue infections

If the patients are suffering from cardiovascular disease

If cancer is at advanced or uncontrolled stage

If the patient is on bed or chair for most of the time.

Patients with age more than 65

Patients who have already received chemotherapy or radiation treatment

Patients having poor immune system

Patient having low white blood cell counts

Chemotherapy treatment can be applied at various places including home, doctor’s office, and clinic, outpatient department of hospital or at hospital. It is decided by your doctor, which also depends on type of chemotherapy you are receiving. Drugs taken orally or topically can be taken easily at home. Chemotherapy treatment duration can vary from less than 1 hour to several hours depending on the type of therapy being given.

Neutropenia (a low white blood cell count), anemia (a low red blood cell count), thrombocytopenia (a low blood platelet count), nausea, and hair loss are some common chemotherapy side effects.
Due to some chemotherapy treatments, white blood cell count decreases significantly which results in poor immune system. White blood cells are important cells in blood. These cells kill bacteria, which can invade your body and cause infections. Patients with lower white blood cell counts have a weaker immune system, which results in an increased risk for infection. White blood cell boosters are available which reduce the risk of chemotherapy related infection.

Red blood cells contain hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein which carries oxygen from the lungs to the body’s muscles and organs. If the level of hemoglobin in blood drops down, patients get affected with  anemia. For treating anemia,  two treatments are available. These are red blood cell transfusions and erythropoietin-stimulating agents that stimulate the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.

Platelets are blood cells, which plug leaks in blood vessels to stop bleeding. A low platelet count in blood results in thrombocytopenia. In case of low platelet counts, treatment called platelet transfusions is necessary.

Patients should prepare themselves physically and mentally before chemotherapy to avoid or decrease the chances of risks and serious side effects associated with the treatment. You should follow the chemotherapy diet  prescribed by your oncologist. Cancer as well as chemotherapy puts a lot of stress on the patient. Efforts have to be taken to reduce or manage stress with the help of the counselor.