How does chemotherapy affect the immune system?

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment, but it has the ability to weaken the immune system. Chemotherapy damages the bone marrow, resulting in the marrow's inability to produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The following article will clearly analyze the effects of chemotherapy on the body, especially the immune system.

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that weakens the immune system. Chemotherapy drugs target fast-growing cells, which are cancer cells - but it can also be cells that grow normally in the blood, bone marrow, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, etc. vagina and hair. So chemotherapy affects them too.
Cancer cells are destroyed by chemotherapy because they cannot repair themselves. Healthy cells can usually heal on their own after chemotherapy treatment ends. (One notable exception is the nerve cells in your hands and/or feet, which can be permanently damaged by certain chemotherapy drugs — this condition is known as peripheral neuropathy.) .
Because chemotherapy drugs damage the bone marrow, it causes the marrow to reduce its ability to produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Usually, the greatest impact is on white blood cells. When you don't have enough white blood cells, your body is more susceptible to infections.
Although most chemotherapy drugs can have an effect on the immune system, the extent of the effect depends on many factors, For example:

Medications that you are taking and in combination - taking two or three at the same time is more likely to affect the immune system than one; Dosage and frequency of drug use; How long does the treatment last; Your age and overall health; Medical conditions. Some chemotherapy drugs are given by mouth, in pill form, while others are given through a vein — in the chest, arm, or hand. If you are having intravenous treatment, ask to be injected on the opposite side of your body from where you had surgery. The injection site poses some risk of infection, and breast cancer surgery often removes the lymph nodes, you definitely want to minimize that risk on the affected side of the body. (If you have cancer in both breasts, choose the side that had surgery that was less extensive or removed fewer lymph nodes, if possible.)
The timing of chemotherapy programs varies widely. Typically, you'll take the medication for a day to a few days, wait a few weeks to give your body time to recover, and then start the cycle again. Chemotherapy treatment can last from 3 to 6 months. During that time, you will have a weakened immune system – the body is not able to fight off infections. After chemotherapy treatment ends, it can take 21 to 28 days for your immune system to recover.

If chemotherapy is part of your treatment regimen, you and your doctor should review the medications you will be taking and discuss their effects on the immune system.
Before, during and after chemotherapy, try to take care of your immune system, such as getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, exercising and reducing stress as much as possible. Some chemotherapy drugs can reduce your appetite and make you feel tired, so ask your doctor about ways to manage those side effects.
Before starting chemotherapy, your doctor will order a complete blood count (CBC) to check the readings of various blood cells, including white blood cells. You will continue to have this blood test periodically throughout your treatment.
When your white blood cell count is lower than normal, you are more susceptible to infections. In particular, white blood cells, called neutrophils, are important. These are the cells that first respond to infection, which can devour bacteria, fungi, and germs. Your test results will include a neutrophil count (ANC).
Usually, neutrophil levels begin to drop about a week after your chemotherapy cycle begins, reach a low point over the next week, and then slowly rise again before the cycle of treatment. next takes place. A blood test will help your doctor know if your neutrophil level has returned enough to warrant further treatment.
Normal neutrophil count is around 2,500-6,000. If yours is lower than that, and especially down to 1,000 or below, your risk of infection goes up. If the neutrophil count falls below 500, you are in a condition called leukopenia, which greatly increases your risk of serious infection.

Whatever the situation, it's important to follow specific instructions to avoid infection and to report any signs or symptoms of infection to your doctor right away. When your immune system weakens, infections can develop quickly and even become life-threatening. If you have a high fever and suspect an infection but cannot see your doctor, seek medical attention right away.
If your neutrophil level does not return to a sufficiently high level between treatments or you develop leukopenia, your doctor may decide to:
Delay the next round of chemotherapy, or reduce the dose. Give antibiotics in combination with your treatment to prevent infection. If chemotherapy causes leukopenia with fever, your doctor may prescribe drugs called monoclonal growth factors (CSFs) or white blood cell growth factors that are given along with chemotherapy treatments. your value. These drugs can help the body produce more neutrophils and other types of white blood cells that help fight infections, for example:
Neupogen (chemical name: filgrastim) Neulasta (chemical name) Study: pegfilgrastim) Leukine or Prokine (chemical name: sargramostim) These are used in between treatment cycles. Although CSFs can reduce the risk of hospitalization for infections, they can cause side effects such as bone pain, low-grade fever, and fatigue. In general, CSF is used in people undergoing chemotherapy who have neutropenia or for whom adjustment of the dose of chemotherapy is not effective.
After finishing chemotherapy, patients always have to pay attention to care and monitor their health regularly to avoid infection until the immune system returns to normal.
You should have regular health check-ups to detect early complications of chemotherapy in other parts of the body. Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has general health checkup packages suitable for each age, gender and individual needs of customers with a reasonable price policy, including:
Health checkup package diamond general health checkup package Vip general health checkup special health checkup package Comprehensive general health checkup package standard general health checkup The patient's examination results will be returned to your home. After receiving the results of the general health examination, if you detect diseases that require intensive examination and treatment, you can use services from other specialties right at the Hospital with quality treatment and services. outstanding customer service.

If you have a need for consultation and examination at Hospitals under the national health system, please book an appointment on the website to be served.