Toxic side effects and precautions of common chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer

  Since tumor cells lack fundamental metabolic differences from normal cells, all anti-cancer drugs will inevitably cause damage to normal tissues. The main reactions to chemotherapy for breast cancer are: 1) Chemotherapy drugs can affect the stomach or the vomiting center of the brain, causing nausea and vomiting.  2) Adriamycin can cause hair loss and heart damage.  3) Chemotherapy can inhibit the bone marrow’s ability to produce red blood cells, making the patient feel weak, fatigued, dizzy or short of breath. Li Wenping, Breast Disease Control Center, Guangdong Maternal and Child Health Hospital 4) Anti-cancer drugs affect the hematopoietic function of bone marrow, causing a decrease in white blood cells, as well as easily causing infections in various parts of the body, such as the mouth, skin, lungs and intestines.  5) Some chemotherapy drugs can affect intestinal mucous membrane cells causing diarrhea.  6) Chemotherapy can directly cause constipation, which may also be caused by the patient’s reduced activity and unreasonable diet structure after chemotherapy.  7) Cyclophosphamide can stimulate the bladder causing painful urination, urgency, frequency and fever.  Due to the toxic side effects of chemotherapy drugs, more water should be consumed during chemotherapy to reduce the damage of the drugs to the kidneys, and a diet of light and easily digestible food is appropriate. Due to the reaction of gastrointestinal tract, you can listen to music or read some literary books and magazines during chemotherapy to reduce the fear of drugs and relax your brain.