About Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea, with or without vomiting, is a common side effect of surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiotherapy and biological therapy. The disease itself, or other conditions related to Cancer or treatment, may also cause nausea. Some people have nausea or vomiting right after treatment; others don't have it until two or three days after a treatment. Many people never experience nausea. For those who do, nausea often goes away once the treatment is completed. Although treatments have improved, nausea and vomiting continue to be worrisome side effects of cancer therapy. Nausea may be even more distressing for patients than vomiting.
Nausea is an unpleasant wavelike feeling in the back of the throat and/or stomach that may or may not result in vomiting. The nausea feeling is controlled by a part of the central nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions. Vomiting is the forceful elimination of the contents of the stomach through the mouth. Vomiting is a reflex controlled by a vomiting centre in the brain and can be stimulated by various triggers, such as smell, taste, anxiety, pain, motion, poor blood flow, irritation or chemical changes in the body caused by the tumour itself/inflammation. Vomiting may follow nausea and may be brought on by treatment, food odours, gas in the stomach or bowel, or motion. The movement of the stomach and oesophagus without vomiting is called retching or dry heaves.
The most common causes of nausea and vomiting are the chemotherapy drugs and radiotherapy directed at the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly the small intestine and stomach, at the liver or at the brain. The risk for nausea and vomiting increases as the dose area being irradiated increase. Nausea and vomiting associated with radiotherapy usually occurs one-half hour to several hours after treatment. Symptoms may improve on days the patient does not undergo radiotherapy.
Nausea and vomiting caused by cancer therapy can be distinguished as anticipatory, acute or delayed:
- anticipatory nausea and vomiting occurs after having undergone several cancer treatments. The smells, sights, and sounds of the treatment room may remind the patient of previous episodes and may trigger nausea and vomiting before a new cycle of chemotherapy (or radiotherapy ) has even begun;
- acute nausea and vomiting usually occurs within 24 hours after beginning chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment-related cause of nausea and vomiting. The drug, dose, schedule of administration, route, and factors that are unique to the patient all determine how often nausea occurs and how severe it will be. Usually, these symptoms can be prevented or controlled;
- delayed (late) nausea and vomiting occurs more than 24 hours after chemotherapy. It is more likely to occur in patients who are receiving high-dose chemotherapy regimens or have experienced acute nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy.
It is very important to prevent and control nausea and vomiting: uncontrolled nausea and vomiting can interfere with the patient's ability to receive cancer treatment and care for himself or herself. There are also a range of drugs, called antiemetics, that can reduce nausea and vomiting: ask your doctor if some drugs can be suitable for relieving your condition.
Source: www.nutritionincancer.co.uk
This page was last modified on 6th December 2009 at 09:47.
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