The World Health Organization commemorates the World Cancer Day on February 4.
Covid-19 currently affects the daily lives of people around the world. In particular, cancer patients and their families face challenges that they have not been exposed to.
There are endless questions regarding the continuity of treatments, their effects and the possible complications that they may have.
In the midst of the pandemic caused by the virus is SARS-CoV-2, the WHO commemorates World Cancer Day, next February 4. In Mexico, cancer is the third leading cause of death, and 191 thousand cases of cancer are diagnosed each year, of which 84 thousand die.
Faced with this scenario in the country, patients and their families and the general public need to be aware of the risk of side effects after opting for cancer treatment.
Complications can arise as a result of treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
In this sense, other associated diseases will attack cancer patients, as their immune system weakens little by little after each session, as a result other diseases will arise such as Anemia and Neutropenia.
Anemia is the decrease in red blood cells content of hematocrit or hemoglobin, this usually occurs in up to 60% of cancer patients.
Among the causes that generate it are tumor-related bleeding (colorectal, lung and genitourinary cancer), treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, among others.
Dr. Luara Luz Arana Luna, a doctor assigned to the Adult Hematology service of the National Medical Center November 20, explains that the symptoms of cancer anemia are: fatigue, headache, chest pain, difficulty breathing, decreased gastrointestinal motility, tachycardia and heart failure.
On the other hand, she emphasized that chemotherapies applied to cancer patients cause the deterioration of appetite, thus a low iron diet unleashing anemia.
Neutropenia is the circulating decrease in neutrophils (decrease in white blood cells for the defenses of our body) in the blood, it is a frequent complication linked to the appearance of infections. In the case of cancer patients, Febrile Neutropenia is generated as a serious consequence of chemotherapies.
In the case of Febrile Neutropenia, there are treatments in the prophylactic and therapeutic approach, these recommendations will be given by a health professional, however, there is the possibility of having benefits in primary prophylaxis.
Cancer patients and their families most often do not have the necessary information regarding diseases associated with cancer treatment.
The Salvati A.C. Foundation always conducts campaigns such as in order to sensitize patients, their families, associations, organizations and the media in order to improve the quality of life of people who are in cancer therapies.
