Although the term chemotherapy can technically refer to any medication, it is most commonly thought of in regard to cancer medications. There are over 100 different types of chemotherapy used in the treatment of cancer. Although these chemotherapy agents are often considered to be the most effective methods of treatment for curing and treating cancer, they are highly potent and dangerous drugs and can have risks to both the patients and the health care staff treating the patient.
Precautions for Patients
Chemotherapy is a highly dangerous and potent drug. Its purpose is to prevent cell reproduction by interfering with one of the five stages necessary for cells to reproduce or to multiply. Because it destroys any rapidly reproducing cells, it can also have an adverse impact on other non-cancerous cells in the body that reproduce frequently, like hair follicle cells, white blood cells, and cells that line the digestive track. This interference with other rapidly reproducing cells causes many of the side effects of chemotherapy, and means that patients must take precautions both in dosage and in being aware of the risks.
Dosage
Patients should not be given chemotherapy too frequently or in too high a dose. Chemotherapy can damage the heart, liver, lungs and central nervous system. Because of the dangers of the drug, doctors must take appropriate safety precautions when selecting a dosage regimen for chemotherapy patients. This involves evaluating the patients general health, age, and ability to withstand chemotherapy treatments. It also involves allowing the body a sufficient period of rest and recovery in between high dose chemotherapy treatments, so a patient maintains enough strength. Thus, doctors must carefully balance the need to continually prevent the reproduction of cancer cells, with the risk factors associated with overdosing on chemotherapy, when selecting a dosage schedule.
Safety Precautions for Patients
Patients should be aware of signs of infection from low white blood cell count. They should monitor their temperatures frequently and contact their doctors if high fevers occur. They should also take certain other safety precautions to help minimize the risk of side effects. It is recommended that patients eat bland foods to avoid nausea and vomiting, since cells in the lining of their digestive track are damaged by chemotherapy. Patients should also keep their mouths clean and moist to avoid mouth sores that result from a lack of cell generation within the mucus membranes.
Precautions for Health Professionals
Chemotherapy drugs can be dangerous to others who come into contact with them, in addition to the patient. The drugs can mutate DNA, cause other cancers, and/or interfere with fetal development and cause birth defects. Doctors and nurses need to be careful to avoid contact with chemotherapy drugs. It is recommended that health professionals wear gloves, gowns and goggles when handling the medications, either to prepare or administer. Because the waste products of patients treated with chemotherapy can also contain chemotherapy drugs, health professionals should also exercise extreme care in handling urine and stool samples from patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Precautions for Caregivers
Many of the same issues affecting health professions affect caregivers, who also should avoid coming into contact with the urine or stool of a patient who has received chemotherapy. Patients are advised to flush the toilet twice after using the bathroom and/or vomiting. Any sheets that come into contact with the bodily fluid of a chemotherapy patient should be washed carefully in hot water. Finally, chemotherapy medication can also exist in vaginal secretions and sperm, so a condom should be used when having sex.
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