Question

What are some oral or digestive side effects of chemotherapy? (i.e. metallic taste)

Answer 1

Chemotherapy can damage healthy cells in the lining of the digestive system. Your whole digestive system can be affected. The digestive system includes the salivary glands, stomach, intestines, and rectum. Chemo can affect these areas and cause vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and mouth sores.

Oral Side Effect of chemotherapy Related with taste

• Taste changes are common during chemotherapy.
• It is a result of the damage to the cells in the oral cavity, which are especially sensitive to chemotherapy
• Most people report taste changes involving a lower threshold for bitter tastes and a higher threshold for sweet tastes.
• Some drugs also produce a metal taste during the actual intravenous infusion.
• Taste changes may occur during therapy and last for hours, days, weeks, or even months after chemotherapy.

Digestive Side Effect of chemotherapy:

Mouth and throat sores. Chemotherapy can damage the cells inside the mouth and throat. This causes painful sores in these areas, a condition called mucositis.

Mouth sores usually happen 5 to 14 days after a treatment. The sores can get infected. Eating a healthy diet and keeping your mouth and teeth clean can lower your risk of mouth sores. Mouth sores usually go away completely when treatment ends.

Diarrhea. Chemotherapy can damage the cells In your gastrointestinal tract and cause loose, watery, bowel movements. Diarrhea can lead to poor appetite, weight loss, weakness and dehydration. Diarrhea can become life-threatening if it is not brought under control.

Nausea and vomiting. Chemotherapy can cause nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) and vomiting (throwing up). Whether you have these side effects, and how much, depends on the specific drugs and dose. The right medications given before and after each dose of chemotherapy can usually prevent nausea and vomiting.

Constipation. Chemotherapy can cause constipation. This means not having a bowel movement often enough or having difficult bowel movements. Other medicines, such as pain medication, can also cause constipation. You can lower your risk of constipation by drinking enough fluids, eating balanced meals, and getting enough exercise.

Appetite loss. You might eat less than usual, not feel hungry at all, or feel full after eating a small amount. If this lasts through treatment, you may lose weight and not get the nutrition you need.

Gastrointestinal toxicity is a common complication of cytotoxic cancer chemotherapy.