Temperature after chemotherapy: causes. What is chemotherapy? Side effects of chemotherapy

One of the most terrible diseases of our time is cancer. Until now, they can not find a remedy to completely get rid of this ailment. The patient has to undergo many procedures to ease his condition and prolong life. After some of them there appear negative, as we think, symptoms. Let's talk about one now - the temperature after chemotherapy.

A little about the procedure

Chemotherapy is the most effective method of combating malignant tumors. Special drugs are used that destroy tumors. Before starting to use this method, the patient's body is carefully examined. The patient's condition and its reserve capabilities are assessed. Depending on the type of disease and its stage, the procedure is used for:

• Complete destruction of malignant formation.

• Getting rid of the affected cells, which can move to other organs.

• Decreased process of increasing formations.

• Decrease in tumor size.

• Obtaining conditions conducive to a favorable escape from education by surgical means.

• Destruction of the affected cells left in the human body after the operation.

Most often, chemotherapy is used in conjunction with radiotherapy or surgery. Now you know a little about chemotherapy. But not always this procedure ends the patient's problems.

Side effects

According to the degree of severity of the patient's condition after chemotherapy, the World Health Organization has the following side effects divided into several classes:

• Zero degree - the patient's condition has not changed, analyzes too.

• The first is small changes, but they do not affect the general condition of the patient.

• The second is that the analyzes vary considerably, the patient's condition and activity have changed too, but moderately. Corrective actions are required.

• Third degree. There were sharp violations. Intensive somatic treatment is required. Scheduled chemotherapy sessions are canceled.

• Fourth degree. There were side effects of chemotherapy, which threaten the life of the patient. The procedure should be immediately canceled.

Side effects include:

• The defeat of the hematopoietic system and gastrointestinal tract.

• The appearance of violations of the kidneys.

• Weakened immunity.

• The defeat of the respiratory and nervous systems.

• Hair loss.

• The appearance of allergies and dermatitis.

Causes of temperature increase

Chemotherapy negatively affects the bone marrow. In the blood, the level of leukocytes decreases. There is nobody to fight with the infection. In addition to white blood cells, erythrocytes, platelets and hemoglobin are inhibited. All this leads to pancytopenia. Any infection, even the most insignificant, can penetrate into the patient's body without any barriers. In the body, it remains for a long time even after chemotherapy. The immune system weakens. If treatment is not started, sepsis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis can develop.

Inflammatory processes taking place in the patient's body, promote an increase in temperature after chemotherapy. This reaction shows that the infection continues to develop. During this period, all blood counts are at a low level.

High body temperature for several days suggests that a person can no longer cope with the disease on his own. Additional treatment is required.

Effect of medications

The temperature of the body can also increase under the influence of medicines. These include anti-inflammatory drugs. They are used for pain relief, itching and swelling.

More often patients with oncology are prescribed strong antitumor drugs. They are the cause of temperature after chemotherapy. These drugs include: platinum, Floracid, Docetaxel, Gemcitabine, Paclitaxel, Halaveron. In addition to the intolerance of these drugs, the patient may have necrosis, ulcers on the body and non-healing abscesses.

Use of the above medicines may cause the patient:

• Painful sensation behind the sternum.

• Disruption of the bowel and urogenital system.

• Swelling of the ankles and unpleasant sensations in the joints and muscles.

• Fever and allergies.

When these symptoms appear, you should immediately contact the oncologist.

So the norm or pathology?

The temperature after chemotherapy is normal within 36-37 degrees. The doctor can state that the procedure was transferred normally. If the fever rises to 37.5-38, then we can talk about the appearance of side effects after chemotherapy. The most dangerous temperature is from 38 to 39 degrees. Such a symptom may indicate agranulocytosis (a complication in which a person needs immediate hospitalization).

Increasing the temperature to 41 degrees is a threat not only to the patient's health, but also to his life. In the presence of body temperature fluctuations, one can speak of the development of serious pathologies in the human body:

• Sepsis;

• Pneumonia infectious;

• Kidney disease.

Heat is one of the main symptoms, which indicates the presence of complications after chemotherapy.

If the temperature rises after the administration of drugs against the tumor, immediately consult an oncologist. Sometimes a small delay can cost lives.

How to act

If there is a temperature after chemotherapy, what should I do? This is the question that patients ask themselves and others.

• Very carefully watch for her jumps.

• They began to feel worse (heat, chills) - immediately take a thermometer into hands.

• No febrifuge without consulting a specialist. Remember: not every medicine can have the right effect on health. In addition, the body tries to warn you about something, and you remove this warning.

• Try to limit communication with people suffering from infectious diseases, less in the cold. Immunity after chemotherapy is weakened, it is easy to get cold.

• Having felt pain after chemotherapy, immediately consult a doctor. He will correct the treatment, based on your health.

• After the procedure, monitor your health. When there is dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, visit an oncologist.

Conclusion

Cancer is not a sentence yet. With disease, you can and must fight. After the introduction of antitumor drugs, try to avoid crowded places, watch your diet. Include in the diet more protein foods, vitamins. More positive emotions and belief that everything will be fine.

If the temperature rises after chemotherapy, do not leave this fact unattended. Contact the attending physician. He will tell you what to do. Remember that your health depends on you.