Guide To Chemotherapy Side Effects

Diarrhea Or Constipation

Diarrhea or constipation may occur in a patient undergoing chemotherapy. Cells in the body reproduce through a process known as cell division, which consists of several phases where the cell splits in half into what are known as daughter cells. Cancerous cells grow and divide much more rapidly than healthy cells. Chemotherapy can target and destroy or damage the cells in an individual's body in certain phases of the cell division process. This mechanism is what makes chemotherapy one of the most effective treatments for cancer patients. However, chemotherapy drugs are not able to distinguish between healthy and malignant cells. Therefore, healthy cells in the process of cell division can unintentionally become damaged and destroyed by chemotherapy. The digestive tract is one of the parts of the body with a high cell turnover and reproduction rate, making it especially susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy. Damage to the tissues that make up the small and large intestines due to chemotherapy can cause an individual to become constipated or have diarrhea.

Learn more about the various side effects patients receiving chemotherapy may experience now.