Chemotherapy is often given after surgery. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy. It can be difficult for patients to understand why they would consider chemotherapy if the cancer was removed. The rationale for chemotherapy in this setting is to eradicate microscopic traces of cancer and improve the chances of cure. There is presently no blood test or PET scan that can detect microscopic traces of cancer. Patients at high risk for recurrence of cancer receive the most benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy.
If you ever do not feel physically or mentally strong enough to be receiving chemotherapy make sure you discuss this with you physician. Many times a delay or break can be given from chemotherapy without compromising efficacy.
A variety of minor, nuisance symptoms are seen with chemotherapy and are common. These include fatigue, achiness, sore muscles, queasiness, mild headache, diarrhea, constipation, etc.
You are never obligated to complete the prescribed course of chemotherapy. If you undergo one treatment, have side effects, and feel chemotherapy is not right for you, you have the right to stop at any time. Other options include dose reductions or alternate chemotherapy regimens that may be better tolerated.
Chemotherapy is usually completely metabolized and eliminated from your body within a few days after receiving treatment. The side effects from chemotherapy, however, can take several weeks to recover from. Hair starts to grow back roughly 2 months after completing chemotherapy. If chemotherapy causes numbness and tingling of the fingers and toes (neuropathy), this can take several months to years to resolve.
If you receive radiation treatment you are not radioactive. After some imaging studies, such as a PET scan, you may emit very low levels of radiation for 8 to 12 hours.
Some patients can receive chemotherapy and still work. Whether to work or not depends largely on how important it is to continue working, how well you tolerate chemotherapy, and how physically (or mentally) demanding your job is. If you do continue working, do not schedule important meetings or responsibilities until you have a better feel how you tolerate chemotherapy. Alert your staff you may need time off work with short notice.
You can eat breakfast the day of chemotherapy, nausea tends to more of an issue a few days after chemotherapy.
Have someone drive you to and from your first chemotherapy. If you do well with it, you may be able to drive yourself thereafter.
Sucking lemon drops or hard candy during chemotherapy may help if treatment gives you a bad taste in the mouth.
If you do not have reliable veins for placing an IV to allow administration of chemotherapy, you may need to have a port placed under the skin in the upper chest to ensure better intravenous access.
Chemotherapy infusion reactions can occur. These reactions typically consist of shortness of breath, and elevated blood or lowered blood pressure. Fortunately, these are not usually life threatening and start to subside after ten to fifteen minutes.
If you start to lose your hair, you may want to go ahead and clip it short. Or not, it's up to you.
You will receive intravenous anti nausea medication the day of your chemotherapy in the infusion room. Some insurances will not cover the intravenous anti nausea medicine, and you will need to fill a prescription and take the anti nausea medicine orally before chemotherapy. Wait until you see the physician and make sure your counts are acceptable for chemotherapy before taking your anti nausea medication.