Chemotherapy refers to the treatment of a disease by means of chemicals meant to kill cells, typically cells of micro-organisms or cancer. This treatment works by attacking and killing cells which divide very quickly as cancer cells do. Unfortunately, chemotherapy destroys other cells with a rapid division speed which is normal for the body functions; this is the case with the cells in the digestive tract, hair follicles and bone marrow.

Hence, the chemotherapy effects usually damage these areas. The most frequent adverse reactions that become manifest during and after chemotherapy include myelosuppresion – decrease in the production of blood cells, mucositis – inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, and alopecia – hair loss.

Chemotherapy effects or side effects can be divided into two major groups as short and long term. Negative reactions to the treatment are normal, given the fact that powerful chemicals do disturb the functions of the system. sometimes chemotherapy effects are taken for cancer symptoms. Symptoms are specific to the disease in fact, while the side effects consist of natural adverse reactions to a powerful external invasion in the body. Anyway, various chemotherapy drugs have different short term and long term side effects; not all chemotherapy drugs lead to every side effect.

In more general terms, chemotherapy harms those cells that divide at a quicker pace. The mouth, intestines, skin, hair, bone marrow (the spongy material that fills your bones and produces new blood cells) are mainly affected by chemotherapy. Since hair is growing all the time, the skin is constantly renewing itself and the lining of the mouth and digestive system have the same dynamics, then, the cells of all these body tissues must constantly divide to produce a steady supply of new cells. And, unfortunately, it is due to this division process that the chemotherapy drugs attack proper functioning body parts.

It is known that most drugs used in chemotherapy have side effects, yet, not all the patients get the same chemotherapy effects. The way one goes through chemotherapy therefore differs immensely, depending on some factors specific to every case. These elements include the period during which the drug has been taken, the concentration of the drug, how the drug is administered, the patient’s general health state, as well as the combination of the chemotherapy drug with other medicines. Some chemotherapy effects are serious medical conditions which must be dealt with; others, although bothersome, are not necessarily a major threat to the patient’s health. It is also relevant to discuss the effects of chemotherapy with the health care provider in order to be aware of what lies ahead and be able to bear the treatment in a good psychological shape.

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