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2. Cancer

Chemotherapy

• Article - Neuropathy and Chemotherapy: What You Can Do

  Chemotherapy can cause neuropathy, the medical term for nerve damage. Here's what you can do to prevent and minimize neuropathy and nerve damage.

• Article - Cancer and Mouth Sores

  Mouth sores are one of the most common side effects of cancer and chemotherapy. Learn how to prevent, treat and reduce the pain of chemo mouth sores.

• Article - 12 Ways to Cope with "Chemo Brain"

  Strategies for helping your parent who's being treated for cancer with issues of memory, concentration, and organization.

• Article - Coping With the Psychological Issues of Hair Loss

  Hair loss from cancer treatment is a difficult issue for aging parents. This article offers guidance to help them cope.

• Article - Nausea and Cancer Treatment: What You Can Do

  Chemotherapy is the number one cause of nausea in cancer patients. The first step to preventing nausea is to take the threat of nausea seriously.

• Article - Cancer Treatment: A Beginner's Guide

  Learn about the basic types of cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

• Article - Managing Treatment for Low Platelets

  Find out how to protect your parent from the dangers of uncontrolled bleeding caused by a low blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia).

• Article - How Blood Test Results Can Affect a Chemotherapy Session

  Blood Test Results and Chemotherapy. When undergoing chemotherapy, a lot hinges on the blood test results that precede each chemotherapy session.

• Article - Understanding Low White Blood Cell Counts

  Understanding a Low White Blood Cell Count: What a low white blood cell count means for your parent’s health and how their doctor might treat it.

• Article - Nausea: Helping Your Parent Keep Up His Appetite

  An action plan for helping your parent with cancer boost his appetite so he can get the nutrition he needs.

• Interview - Talking With Kelly Corrigan

  The author of The Middle Place reflects on how family dynamics, faith, and lacrosse figured into her father’s treatment for bladder cancer.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Kennedy's Cancer Has Everyone Talking About Brain Tumors

  The announcement about Senator Edward Kennedy's brain tumor has the world talking about gliomas.

• Blog Post - Cancer News We Can Use

  New research presented at ASCO offers news for those with breast, colorectal, and lung cancer.

• Blog Post - New Test Can Spare Breast Cancer Patients from Chemo

  The new test Oncotype DX spares many women with early stage breast cancer from chemo by revealing which cancers are low risk.

• Blog Post - Should Cancer Patients Take a Chemo Vacation?

  Most news headlines about cancer treatment trumpet...

• Blog Post - A Promising New Lung Cancer Vaccine

  This week brought welcome news for people with non-small cell lung cancer: Long-term results from a clinical trial showed that a new immune-boosting treatment worked as well or better than chemotherapy at reducing relapse.

Questions & Answers

• Question - How can I convince my father to stop chemotherapy that's no longer working?

  When is it time to stop chemotherapy? My father wants to continue chemo, even though it's stopped working, because he wants to "keep on fighting."

• Question - Are ther any birth defects caused by chemotherapy or any...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Is there any treatment for smelly, foul smelling fingers and hands during chemotherapy treatment?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How many months/weeks is the usual length of chemotherapy?

  How long does chemo typically last? Is the length of a course of chemo dependent on what drugs you're taking or what kind of cancer you have?

• Question - Does chemotherapy shrink tumors while waiting for surgery?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Why would my brother-in-law take chemotherapy pills for a skin rash?

  Are skin rashes ever treated with chemotherapy pills? Or are skin rashes a side effect of chemo pills instead?

• Question - Which chemotherapy drugs require a muga scan before they can be administered?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Exactly which chemotherapy drugs are cardiotoxic?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is there a limit on how much chemotherapy one patient has?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - If you miss a chemotherapy apointment would a doctor give...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do I treat a chemical burn associated with chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is chemotherapy a common treatment for Rhumatoid Arthitis?

  Is chemo used for rheumatoid arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis is treated with low doses of chemo to ease inflammation caused by the autoimmune disease.

• Question - What is Albuterol updrafring with chemotherapy treatment?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - How long can you go without chemotherapy without your cancer...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can chemo for prostate cancer cause the yellowing of the hands only?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does chemotherapy change the scent of a person's skin?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - What can I expect when my mother being receiving chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Chemotherapy and parrots in the home?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What are the side affects from having chemo abraxane/avactin when you take blood thinners warfin?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I get the doctor to be more responsive when my mother has side effects from chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - If I stop chemo, my doctor says my colon cancer will return. When?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - When do side effects from chemo start?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it safe for a patient doing chemo get a tattoo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is platumn chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can I help my parent control nausea while he's on chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do we help my brother-in-law, who is receiving chemo and radiation, get ready to leave the house a little quicker?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my mom that is disabled from pollio, In the...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Should we see an ear, nose and throat specialist for my mother's issues with taste?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can chemo cause side effects for those exposed to the patient receiving it?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What plant is in chemo?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does anyone know the approximate cost of chemo treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What can help neck pain after chemo treatments?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can my dad get help to pay for shots after chemo?

  Medicare pays little of outpatient hospital charges. A hospital that accepts Medicare amounts, or care in the doctor's office, saves a bundle.

• Question - Is 24 hour care needed for a chemotherapy patient with small cell lung cancer, who is 70 years old?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What can be done about the swelling of the legs and feet...

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - Does chemo change your voice?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How long does a chemotherapy treatment take?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can Taxol cause severe ankle, leg, knee and hip pain?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it safe for a chemo patient who has now grown back their...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is having sex orally with a man safe when going through...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can chemo affect a person's personality?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are you still fertile after chemotherapy or radiation?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What if the chemotherapy doesn't work?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why does Chemo kill white blood cells? Does it deplete...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What are the small white bumps on my head after losing my hair from chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is there a home infused chemotherapy that the patient can infuse?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Will chemo take away quality of life for my mother, who has Alzheimer's?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it ok to smoke when you are going through chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is there help for someone under age 65, who has serious illness and little money?

  For someone under 65 and disabled, government programs can help: Medicaid, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

• Question - What is the chemo treatment referred to as "CHOP"?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Does chemotherapy make you more prone to muscle tears?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How long does chemotherapy drugs stay in your system after treatment?

  How long do chemotherapy drugs stay in your system after treatment? How long does chemo stay in the body?

• Question - I HAVE HEARD WOMENS BODY'S CHANGE AFTER CHEMO. I CAN'T SEEM...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Are there any long term effects due to M.O.P.P. chemotherapy...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - My husband is experiencing severe nasal drip due to chemo. Any suggestions?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can you get pregnant if your husband has leukemia?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Where can I get a bracelet that helps with nausea due to chemo?

  This question has been answered by three Community Members

• Question - Is excessively drinking alcohol while receiving chemo unsafe?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can one go for chemotherapy twice in one week?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What can be done to treat mouth and vaginal sores due to chemo?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - How can I get my parent to eat without nagging?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - Why does my mother have sores on her skin after receiving one chemo treatment and what can be done about them?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it okay to resume tanning after having chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What can be done for sore hands and feet as a result of chemo?

  If you experience sore hands and feet with chemo—aka hand-foot syndrome--your doctor may change your treatment to help heal your sore hands and feet.

• Question - Will chemo make a male infertile permanently? Or can that ever be reversed?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - I had chemo for breast cancer and now have neuropathy in my feet and legs. What can be done?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What could be causing a low white and red blood cell count and low platelet count in a former cancer patient?

  A low white and red blood cell count or a low platelet count in someone who's had non-Hodgkins lymphoma before means it's time to visit the doctor.

• Question - Is there a way to prevent or treat bone pain when my father takes neulasta after chemo?

  Here are some pain management options for those suffering bone pain due to chemotherapy.

• Question - What happens to patients on chemo if they catch a cold or the flu?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is it true that temporary blindness is a side effect of chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How long does chemo stay in the body?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does chemo give your skin a different smell after treatment?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - During chemo, some taxol went directly under my skin on the back of my hand. Can anything be done for the pain?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Why would chemo cause stomach pain for my dad, who has stage 4 colon cancer?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - On the average, how many chemo treatments are usually needed for colon and liver cancer?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Are singular dose chemo treatments such as Genzar just as...

  Are singular dose chemotherapy treatments such as Genzar (or Gemzar) just as beneficial as combined dose treatments such as Genzar and Taxatere?

• Question - Is it okay to share a bathroom with someone going through chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Should patients undergoing chemo avoid exposure to dogs?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Should I be having pain when I exercise 7 months after completion of chemo for lung cancer?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Are chills a side effect of chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do you know the name of a chemo drug that is given through IV?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - do drug companies help pay for chemotherapy

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does chemo make you so weak that you can not get out of bed?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is chemo effective in treating squarmous cell cancer of the vulva?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Which systems in the body are affected by chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is blurred vision a common chemo side effect?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Why doesn't my mother's doctor want to perform a red blood cell transfusion, just because she's never had one before?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How soon can we expect the nausea to hit after a chemo treatment and how long does it last?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Where does the blood go that has to be replace due to chemo treatments?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is the protocol for chemotherapy for colon cancer?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can hearing loss be a side effect of chemotherapy?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can you get e-coli from chemo?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Answer to Can You Drive a Car While Having Chemo Question

  Driving while having chemo is a personal decision based on how the cancer patient if feeling and whether fatigue and other symptoms might interfere with driving.

• Question - Is one of the side effects of chemo a tendency to fall down?...

  When someone is weak from chemo, is falling a side effect? Do falls from chemo treatment caused by numbness or weakness require medical attention?

• Question - Is it normal for blood cells to become enlarged after chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What is the red chemo that is administered by a large needle over a 15 minute time span and what are the side effects?

  Adriamycin, aka doxorubicin or the Red Devil, is a red chemo that may be taken with other cancer drugs. Possible side effects include heart failure.

• Question - My mom has a "tinny mouth" from the chemotherapy. Her...

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - answer to name of chemo drug given through IV question

  Many different chemotherapy medications are delivered through an IV drip.

• Question - How long does it take for hair loss to return after chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - How do I help my sister cope with chemo?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - How do you get chills after chemo to stop?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Sex and chemo: Is it safe for the woman?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are thre supplements to rejuvenate white blood counts during chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Using VP160 on a 79 year old father for his lung cancer

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How long will chemoembolization last?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Is shaking as a side effect for chemo for non-hodgkins lymphoma serious?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I comfort my mother when she feels distressed about losing her hair?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Help paying for chemo if you don't qualify for medicare?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - I had chemo a year ago. My eyelashes grow in and then fall...

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - What is the difference between an infusaport and IV?

  Why is an infusaport used instead of an IV for chemotherapy? An infusaport can access a larger vein for giving chemo and lasts much longer than an IV.

• Question - How do I get my parent's doctor to give us complete and honest information?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Are there any dangers being in contact with someone undergoing chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What can we do for kidney pain during chemo and radiation?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My father has bladder cancer and he no longer want to eat or drink. Is there anything we can do?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can low hemoglobin be causing my father's fatigue, and, if so, what can I do to help him feel better?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Is it ok to drink alcohol while getting chemo?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How effective is Dioxil in treating sarcoma?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How can we prevent bruising due to low platelets?

  Bruising from low platelets is a common side effect in chemotherapy patients. Find out what you can do to reduce low platelet bruising.

• Question - Why is my dad, who has colon cancer have back and stomach pain? Will homeopathic remedies help?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - How does drinking alchohol affect chemotherapy?

  Is drinking alcohol on chemotherapy dangerous? Yes, drinking while undergoing chemo for cancer can be harmful, even if it's just social drinking.

• Question - Doctor recommends quitting chemo. Is this common?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What options are there if your white blood count is too low for chemo?

  When your white blood cell count (wbc) is low, can you get chemo? Or will your doctor refuse to give chemo because of your low white blood cell count?

• Question - What can I take for persistent uncontrolled coughing while taking chemo that won't make me sleepy?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why is my mother's platelet count dropping so drastically?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - What can I do to relieve scalp sensitivity after chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Can your body change, longterm, after chemo?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - I am on follow up chemo for colorectal cancer, also...

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Why won't my parent's doctor order a blood transfusion to boost his platelets?

  When platelets are low, should doctors do a platelet transfusion? Most doctors hold off transfusing unless a patient with low platelets is bleeding.

• Question - What are the main side effects of chemotherapy?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - What types of foods are healthiest for chemo patients?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - How fast does hair fall out after three treatments of chemo?

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Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Put a Foam Pad Under a Scarf for a More Natural Look

  If your mother is losing her hair from chemo treatments...

• Tip - Use a Heating Pad to Relieve Leg Cramps

  Severe leg cramps can accompany some chemotherapy regimens...

• Reflection - What I Wish I’d Known: Kelly Corrigan

  The author Kelly Corrigan on the pitfalls of insisting she knew best how to manage her father’s cancer treatment

• Tip - Reduce Tingling and Numbness from Neuropathy With Powdered L-Glutamine

  The drugs used for chemotherapy have the unfortunate...

• Tip - Wear Socks to Bed to Prevent Leg Cramps

  Many cancer patients find that keeping their feet warm...

• Tip - Suck on Zinc Lozenges to Combat a Bad Taste in the Mouth

  It's common among cancer patients to complain of a...

• Tip - Use a Bed Cradle to Prevent Leg Cramps

  When your parent suffers from leg cramps and spends...

• Tip - Vitamin B6 Can Prevent and Treat Hand-Foot Syndrome

  Taking high-dose vitamin B6 may ease hand-foot syndrome caused by chemotherapy.

• Tip - Butterscotch Candies Help with "Tinny" Mouth

  Sucking on flavored candies can help rid your mouth of the metallic taste that comes with some chemotherapy drugs.

• Tip - Keep Your Parent Well Hydrated to Combat Nausea

  To keep nausea in check, make sure your parent starts...

• Tip - Be Wary of Consuming Too Much Ginger to Combat Nausea

  Ginger is often recommended for nausea. Too much ginger may raise the risk of internal bleeding in chemotherapy patients with low platelet counts.

• Tip - Balance Your Parent's B Vitamins to Prevent and Treat Neuropathy

  Doctors typically suggest taking vitamin B6 -- sometimes...

• Tip - Crystal Light Helps Cancer Patients Drink Up

  Adding flavor to water can help cancer patients drink more, which helps cope with dry mouth, nausea, and other side effects of cancer treatment.

• Tip - Use a Personal Fan to Combat Nausea

  Nausea, which affects about half of those who undergo...

• Tip - Cut the Pain of Mouth Sores With Antacid Solutions

  Antacids can help reduce mouth sore pain as a result of chemotherapy or radiation. Learn how to alleviate mouth sore pain by using common antacids.

News

• News - Workouts a Boon for Breast Cancer Patients

  THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise may...

• News - Stem Cell Therapy Disappoints Against Rare Kidney Ailment

  WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDay News) -- In a disheartening...

• News - Medicare Changes Didn't Alter Cancer Care

  MONDAY, Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A 2003 overhaul...

• News - Three Chemo Drugs Better Than Two for Advanced Head/Neck Cancers

  WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- The addition...

• News - New Guidelines Should Improve Ovarian Cancer Detection

  SUNDAY, Oct. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Ovarian cancer...

• News - Chemo Drug Improves Stomach Cancer Survival for Japanese Patients

  WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment of...

• News - Doctors Report High Survival Rates for Hodgkin's Disease

  WEDNESDAY, Nov. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Here's an example...

• News - FDA Issues New Warnings for Anemia Drugs

  THURSDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S...

• News - Drug Helps Fight Late-Stage Colon Cancer in Some Patients

  WEDNESDAY, Nov. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A highly targeted...

• News - FDA Panel Says No to Avastin for Advanced Breast Cancer

  WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S...