HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES FOR THE BAD AFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY

Chemotherapy is a drug treatment that uses powerful chemicals to kill fast-growing cells in your body.

Chemotherapy is most often used to treat cancer, since cancer cells grow and multiply much more quickly than most cells in the body.

Many different chemotherapy drugs are available. Chemotherapy drugs can be used alone or in combination to treat a wide variety of cancers.

Though chemotherapy is an effective way to treat many types of cancer, chemotherapy treatment also carries a risk of side effects. Some chemotherapy side effects are mild and treatable, while others can cause serious complications

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

1.    Ipecac 3X – Nausea and vomiting

2.    Apomorphia 6- Vomiting after chemotherapy

3.    Nux vomica 1M—Nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy

4.   Borax 3X- Ulcers in the mouth

5.    Fluoric acid 200- Falling of hair after chemotherapy

6.    Raphanus 30 -Flatulence after giving chemotherapy

7.   Hamamelis 30- Hemorrhage after chemotherapy

EXERCISE BOOSTS TUMOR FIGHTING ABILITY OF CHEMOTHERAPY

Study after study has proven it true: exercise is good for you. But new research from University of Pennsylvania scientists suggests that exercise may have an added benefit for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

Their work, performed in a mouse model of melanoma, found that combining exercise with chemotherapy shrunk tumors more than chemotherapy alone.

Joseph Libonati, an associate professor in the School of Nursing and director of the Laboratory of Innovative and Translational Nursing Research, was the senior author on the study, which appears in the American Journal of Physiology. His collaborators included Penn Nursing's Geetha Muthukumaran, Dennis Ding and Akinyemi Bajulaiye plus Kathleen Sturgeon, Keri Schadler, Nicholas J. Thomas, Victor Ferrari and Sandra Ryeom of Penn's Perelman School of Medicine.

Exercise has long been recommended to cancer patients for its physical and psychological benefits. Libonati and colleagues were particularly interested in testing whether exercise could protect against the negative cardiac-related side effects of the common cancer drug doxorubicin. Though effective at treating a variety of types of cancer, doxorubicin has is known to damage heart cells, which could lead to heart failure in the long-term.

"The immediate concern for these patients is, of course, the cancer, and they'll do whatever it takes to get rid of it," Libonati said. "But then when you get over that hump you have to deal with the long-term elevated risk of cardiovascular disease."

Previous studies had shown that an exercise regime prior to receiving chemotherapy could protect heart cells from the toxic effects of doxorubicin, but few had looked to see whether an exercise regimen during chemotherapy could be beneficial.

To do so, Libonati's team set up an experiment with four groups of mice. All were given an injection of melanoma cells in the scruffs of their neck. During the next two weeks, two of the groups received doxorubicin in two doses while the other two groups received placebo injections. Mice in one of the treated groups and one of the placebo groups were put on exercise regimens, walking 45 minutes five days a week on mouse-sized treadmills, while the rest of the mice remained sedentary.

After the two-week trial, the researchers examined the animals' hearts using echocardiogram and tissue analysis. As expected, doxorubicin was found to reduce the heart's function and size and increased fibrosis -- a damaging thickening of tissue. Mice that exercised were not protected from this damage.

"We looked, and the exercise didn't do anything to the heart -- it didn't worsen it, it didn't help it," Libonati said. "But the tumor data -- I find them actually amazing."

The "amazing" result was that the mice that both received chemotherapy and exercised had significantly smaller tumors after two weeks than mice that only received doxorubicin.

Further studies will investigate exactly how exercise enhances the effect of doxorubicin, but the Penn team believes it could be in part because exercise increases blood flow to the tumor, bringing with it more of the drug in the bloodstream.

"If exercise helps in this way, you could potentially use a smaller dose of the drug and get fewer side effects," Libonati said.

Gaining a clearer understanding of the many ways that exercise affects various systems of the body could also pave the way for developing drugs that mimic the effects of exercise.

"People don't take a drug and then sit down all day," Libonati says. "Something as simple as moving affects how drugs are metabolized. We're only just beginning to understand the complexities."

Neuropathy Related To Chemotherapy

Today's short post from blog.dana-farber.org (see link below) may at first glance seem to be very simplistic in that it basically says that you can get neuropathy after cancer chemotherapy treatment. However the link at the end to the presentation and slideshow is very useful and goes into far more detail about how this happens and why. Following the link will provide useful information for those who already have neuropathic symptoms after chemotherapy and for those who may be about to undergo treatment. It's also important to state here that by no means everybody needing chemotherapy will eventually get neuropathy.

Chemotherapy Related Neuropathy: Managing this Nerve Wracking Problem
August 16, 2013 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

While chemotherapy can kill cancer cells, certain chemotherapy drugs can also cause an uncomfortable and distressing condition that may produce numbness, tingling, and discomfort in the arms or legs. This condition, known as peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), can make it difficult for people to perform day-to-day activities.

Although there is no sure prevention for CIPN, there are ways to control the pain and minimize its effects on quality of life, says Cindy Tofthagen, PhD, ARNP, an assistant professor of nursing at the University of South Florida and post-doctoral fellow at Dana-Farber and the University of Massachusetts.

The condition, which results from nerve damage caused by cancer drug therapies, affects 30-100 percent of patients, depending on the chemotherapy drug used.

“When you’re finished with treatment and the cancer is gone, you think that you’re going back to your normal life and everything is going to be just as it was, but CIPN limits that,” says Tofthagen.

Dana-Farber’s Blum Patient and Family Resource Center recently organized an event with Tofthagen titled “Chemotherapy Related Neuropathy: Managing This Nerve Wracking Problem.” Tofthagen spoke about the risk factors of CIPN and how to manage the condition.

“Hopefully someday we’ll be able to prevent CIPN altogether, but for now you can control the symptoms and continue to live life to the fullest,” Tofthagen says. “It takes time and persistence, and a multidisciplinary approach, but the symptoms can definitely be controlled.”

To view Tofthagen’s presentation, visit the Dana-Farber Slideshare page.

http://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2013/08/chemotherapy-related-neuropathy-managing-this-nerve-wracking-problem/

Peripheral Neuropathy And Chemotherapy Treatment

Today's post comes from beatingbowelcancer.org (see link below) and is a UK government publication specifically addressed at cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who go on to develop neuropathy. Most neuropathy patients will  know that nerve damage can quite often occur due to chemotherapy treatment but this article presents information in more depth than most, especially in relation to Oxaliplatin. 

It's amazing how articles about various forms of neuropathy from different causes, end up revealing more or less the same information, especially regarding dealing with the symptoms; so this is worth reading for all neuropathy sufferers. Cancer is unfortunately a possibility for us all. The extra information at the end is directed at UK readers.

Peripheral Neuropathy And Chemotherapy Treatment
Beating Bowel Cancer Forum via Gov.UK July 1st 2013

This factsheet has been written to support bowel cancer patients who are about to embark on a course of oxaliplatin, a common chemotherapy drug, which can cause temporary, and in some cases, more long-lasting side-effects such as tingling or numbness in the hands and feet. It is important that you work together with your hospital team to manage these side-effects and prevent problems in the future.

Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) is a platinumcompound chemotherapy drug given to bowel cancer patients when their cancer has spread, locally into the lymph nodes or into other organs. It is usually given in combination with other drugs, for example:

with 5FU (FOLFOX)

with 5FU and irinotecan (FOLFOXFIRI)

with capecitabine (XELOX or CaPOX)

Oxaliplatin is given as a slow, intravenous infusion which is repeated at regular intervals, every two or three weeks, depending on the treatment you have been prescribed. Side-effects from oxaliplatin may include: nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and it can affect normal blood clotting, leading to bleeding gums, nose bleeds and bruising.

Peripheral neuropathy is another, potentially significant, side-effect of oxaliplatin, which causes altered sensations in your hands and/or feet. This is because this drug can affect the nerve endings; the longer the nerve, the more likely it is to be damaged. Nerves going to the hands, feet and lower legs are some of the longest in the body. It can also
affect nerve endings in the chest, neck or throat, causing feelings of tightness in the chest and jaw and a strange feeling in your tongue.

This side-effect is called peripheral neuropathy, because it only affects the nerve ending in the extremities of your body, in particular the hands, feet and lower legs. 

Short-term (acute) neuropathy

Almost everyone who receives this chemotherapy will experience some degree of peripheral neuropathy soon after receiving the treatment. The symptoms begin during or shortly after an infusion of oxaliplatin and usually disappear a few days after treatment ends. As treatment continues symptoms may last longer or become more
noticeable. They are often triggered by eating, drinking, or touching something cold or breathing cold air. Most people cope well with the short-term symptoms of peripheral neuropathy with only a few changes to their lifestyle.

Symptoms include:
A change in sensation; You may have a feeling of heaviness, burning or pins and needles in the affected area. Or, you may notice unusual sensations, such as a feeling of warmth or burning when touching something cold. Or, you may notice a loss of sensitivity or feeling, starting in your feet and fingertips.

Increased sensitivity and pain; For the first 48 hours after your treatment, you will feel much more sensitive to the cold. You may find that even the lightest touch or pressure in the affected area feels uncomfortable or painful. You may experience a sharp, stabbing or burning sensation, or it may feel like minor electric shocks. If the pain becomes more severe, your doctor can prescribe medication to help relieve it.

Difficulty with balance, walking and coordination: If your feet and/or lower legs are affected, this may make it difficult to walk, climb stairs or keep your balance. You may find that you stumble or trip more often, especially on uneven surfaces.

Difficulty with everyday tasks: You may feel clumsy at times and less in control of your movements. If your fingers are affected, you may not be able to do ‘fiddly’ tasks, such as fastening buttons or tying your shoelaces.

Things you can do to help
It is important to protect your hands and feet by keeping them warm at all times. Use gloves when you go out in cold weather and to avoid touching anything cold.

Wear socks to keep your feet warm. Don’t walk around barefoot at home. Wear a scarf or face mask if you must go outside in cold weather.

Don’t eat or drink cold or even cool foods. Eat food that is at room temperature. Don’t sit in an air-conditioned room or car.

Try to go for a walk every day, even for a short distance. This will prevent muscle
weakness, which adds to your general lack of balance. Wear soft shoes and add
padded insoles to make walking less painful.

If it’s a cold day when you have your treatment, bring gloves, a blanket, and warm socks.

Keeping safe with peripheral neuropathy

Always wear gloves when working in the garden and use oven gloves in the kitchen to avoid injury. Take special care with kitchen knives and tools.

Clear your house and garden of things you might trip on such as rugs, slippery surfaces
and clutter on stairs and steps. Make sure rooms are well lit and always put a light on if
you get up during the night.

Always test water with part of your body not affected by neuropathy such as your elbow before you bathe, shower, or wash dishes. Turn your hot-water thermostat to a lower setting. It is easy to burn yourself if you cannot judge the temperature of water. Put a skid-proof mat in the bathtub or shower cubicle, and consider using a shower stool.

If you have problems balancing or walking, ask for a referral to a physical therapist to strengthen muscles, build balance, or prescribe a walking aid. An occupational therapist may be able to help adapt your home so daily activities are easier and safer for you.

Check your feet every day for redness, injuries, or blisters and tell your nurse if you are concerned. It is important to avoid an infection developing.

Long-term (cumulative) neuropathy

As your treatment with oxaliplatin continues, the amount of platinum stored in your body builds up and this increases the risk of a longerlasting sensory neuropathy in your hands and feet. You are more at risk of these effects if you have anaemia, diabetes, or low levels of certain minerals and vitamins. Neuropathy caused by oxaliplatin usually gets better once the treatment is stopped, although some patients will experience a temporary increase in symptoms after treatment ends. However, if you have lingering numbness in your hands and feet between treatments, it is important to tell your medical team, because the cumulative numbness can be long lasting if the drug isn’t stopped promptly. About 10 – 20% of patients will experience these long-term
side-effects, which may persist for up to twelve months after treatment finishes. For a very small percentage of people, the changes will be permanent.

How your hospital team can help

It is very important to let your oncologist or nurse know if symptoms of neuropathy last beyond a few days after a chemotherapy treatment. Keep track of tingling, pins and needles, numbness, pain, or difficulty with normal activities and let your team know if they are getting worse. It is possible to reduce the dose or to change your treatment regime so that oxaliplatin is given less frequently.

There are also several treatments which can be tried to alleviate the symptoms and researchers are looking at how best to relieve this kind of pain. This might include using medications which might usually be used to treat other conditions (which you don’t have) such as:

Anti-depressant medicines, often in smaller doses than are used to treat depression

Anti-convulsant medicines, which are used to help many types of nerve pain.

It may take more than one approach to try to find out what works best for you. Other treatments that can be tried to ease the discomfort and its effect on your life are physical therapy, relaxation therapy, guided imagery, and acupuncture.

If the doctor thinks that you may be deficient in minerals, due to your diet, the amount of alcohol you drink or for some other reason, you may be given an infusion of calcium or magnesium to help reduce the symptoms.

If the oxaliplatin is stopped because of cumulative symptoms, you will continue to receive the capecitabine or 5FU which is given with it. However, if your symptoms
continue to get worse, your oncologist may suggest that you try another type of anticancer drug or decide to give you a break from chemotherapy.

If you are unable to work 

If long-term symptoms make it difficult for you to walk or carry out your normal daily activities, you may be entitled to financial help. If you are aged 16 to 64 you can apply for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with some of the extra costs caused by your condition. The payment is of up to £134 a week and you will need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. People aged 65 and over can apply for an Attendance Allowance to help with personal care.

Benefit Enquiries

PIP - T: 0800 917 2222
Attendance Allowance - T: 0800 88 22 00
www.gov.uk

Further support
There is more information about managing the side-effects of chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy in these Beating Bowel Cancer publications, which can be downloaded from our website or requested as hard copies:
‘Bowel Cancer Treatment - Your Pathway’
‘Advanced Bowel Cancer - Treating Metastases’
‘Living With Bowel Cancer - Eating Well’

http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/sites/default/files/page_files/Factsheet%20Peripheral%20Neuropathy%20V1.0%20Jul%202013.pdf