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Nerve DamageSome people on chemotherapy experience pain, numbness, or tingling in their hands and feet,

peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms related to neuropathy and

other types of nerve damage can include:

n Difficulty picking up objects or buttoning clothing

n Problems with balance

n Difficulty walking

n Jaw pain

n Hearing loss

Infectionschemotherapy can lower the levels of white blood cells, a condition knownas neutropenia.

antibiotics to treat infections.

Depending on a WBC count , including the type of chemotherapy , another approach is to take white

blood cell growth factors. Growth factors stimulate the bone marrow to replenish blood cells

affected by chemotherapy. Include filgrastim (Neupogen) and pegfilgrastim (Neulasta).

DiarrheaDiarrhea may be caused by some types of chemotherapy, including irinotecan (Camptosar and

others), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), erlotinib (Tarceva), and gefitinib (Iressa).

Constipationthis symptom can be caused by:

n Vinorelbine (Navelbine and others), vincristine (Oncovin and others), and temozolomide

(Temodar), commonly used chemotherapy drugs

n Inactivity

n Low fluid intake

n Low intake of dietary fibern Anti-nausea medications

n Opiate pain medications

use gentle, stimulating laxatives , Stool softeners such as docusate sodium(Colace and others)

magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia)

Hair LossDepending on the treatment, hair loss may start anywhere from seven

to 21 days after the first chemotherapy session. Hair starts to grow back after you are finished with

treatment. It may have a different texture or color, but these changes are usually not permanent.

ALLERGIC AND DERMATOLOGIC REACTIONSChemotherapy can cause several skin reactions:

- Vinorelbine may cause burning along the vein during injection.In some cases, blisters along

the vein have been reported.

- Patients receiving tretinoin can experience redness, dryness, itching, and increased

sensetivity to sunlight and hence should take extra precaution.

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- Hand-foot syndrome is a painful, redness, irritation and fissuration of the hands and soles

seen with fluorouracil, capecitabine, and liposomal doxorubicin. Moisturize the affected

parts.