| Anemia<br>What is anemia?<br>Anemia is when you have too few red blood cells, and your body tissues don’t get enough<br>oxygen to do their work. You may have these symptoms:<br>· Extreme tiredness (fatigue)<br>· Dizziness<br>· Paleness<br>· A tendency to feel cold<br>· Shortness of breath<br>· Weakness<br>· Racing heart<br>Things that may help with anemia:<br>Try the ideas listed in the section called “Fatigue” (see below) if your anemia is making<br>you feel very tired. Let your doctor or nurse know if you have any of the symptoms listed<br>above. Your doctor will check your blood cell count (also called a complete blood count<br>or CBC) often during your treatment. If your red blood cell count falls too low, you may<br>need a blood transfusion. Some people can be treated with a growth factor – a drug used<br>to boost the number of red blood cells the bone marrow makes.<br>You can get a lot more information in Anemia in People With Cancer. Call for a free<br>copy, or read it on our Web site.<br>Fatigue<br>What is fatigue?<br>Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. It can range from<br>mild tiredness to feeling completely wiped out. It’s different from feeling tired after a<br>long day and doesn’t get better with rest or sleep. Fatigue tends to be the worst at the end<br>of a treatment cycle. Like most other side effects, it usually goes away after chemo ends.<br>Things that may help with fatigue:<br>· Get plenty of rest, and allow time during the day for rest periods.<br>· Talk with your doctor or nurse about a regular exercise program.<br>· Eat a well-balanced diet, and drink plenty of liquids.<br>· Limit your activities. Do only the things that are most important to you.<br>· Get help when you need it. Ask family, friends, and neighbors to pitch in with things<br>like child care, shopping, housework, or driving. For example, you might ask<br>neighbors to pick up some items for you at the grocery store while doing their own<br>shopping.<br>· Get up slowly to help prevent dizziness after sitting or lying down.<br>· Let your doctor know if you are having a hard time sleeping at night.<br>You can learn more in our document called Fatigue in People With Cancer, which you<br>can read on our Web site or call us to have a copy sent to you.<br>Hair loss<br>How do I deal with losing my hair?<br>Hair loss (alopecia) can be distressing. But not all chemo drugs will make you lose your<br>hair. Some people have mild thinning that only they notice. Your doctor will be able to<br>tell you if your chemo is likely to make you lose your hair.<br>If you do lose your hair, it will almost always grow back after the treatments are over.<br>But it might be a different color or texture.<br>You can lose hair on all parts of your body, not just your scalp. Eyelashes and eyebrows,<br>arm and leg hair, underarm hair, and pubic hair all may be affected. It usually doesn’t<br>happen right away. More often, hair loss begins after a few treatments. At that point, your<br>hair may fall out slowly or in clumps. Some people shave their heads when this happens.<br>Any hair that remains may become dull and dry.<br>Things that may help with hair loss:<br>· Use mild shampoos.<br>· Use soft-bristle hair brushes.<br>· Use low heat if you must use a hair dryer.<br>· Don’t use brush rollers to set your hair.<br>· Don’t dye your hair or get a perm.<br>· Have your hair cut short. A shorter style will make your hair look thicker and fuller. It<br>also will make hair loss easier to deal with if it does happen.<br>· Use a sunscreen, hat, scarf, or wig to protect your scalp from the sun.<br>· Use a satin pillowcase.<br>Sometimes, either during the regrowth of your hair or when you are bald, your scalp may<br>feel extra tender, dry, and itchy. It may help to keep your scalp clean by using a<br>moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Also, use gentle creams or lotions on your scalp<br>as needed. Even a gentle scalp massage may make your scalp feel better.<br>After chemo, your hair’s texture and fullness may change. Hair dyes contain chemicals<br>like peroxide that can damage hair. There’s no research that supports hair dye doing more<br>damage to hair after chemo, but most doctors recommend patients do not use hair dyes<br>until hair returns to normal. This may be as long as 6 months after treatment.<br>Should I cover my head if I lose my hair?<br>Some people who lose all or most of their hair choose to wear turbans, scarves, caps,<br>wigs, or hairpieces. Others leave their heads uncovered. Still others switch back and<br>forth, depending on whether they are in public or at home with family and friends. Here<br>are tips to follow if you choose to cover your head with a wig or hairpiece:<br>· Shop for your wig or hairpiece before you lose a lot of hair so you can match your<br>natural color, texture, and style.<br>· You may be able to buy a wig or hairpiece at a specialty shop just for cancer patients.<br>· A sales person may be able to come to your home to help you.<br>· You can get more tips or even buy a wig or hairpiece through our “tlc” Tender<br>Loving Care® catalog. Call us for a copy or visit the “tlc”TM Web site at<br>www.tlcdirect.org.<br>· If you would prefer to borrow rather than buy a wig or hairpiece, call us or check with<br>the social work department at your treatment center.<br>If you need a hairpiece because of cancer treatment, it’s a tax-deductible expense. It may<br>also be at least partly covered by your health insurance. Be sure to check your policy, and<br>ask your doctor to write a prescription for a “hair prosthesis.”<br>Increased chance of bruising, bleeding, and infection<br>How will chemo affect my blood cell counts?<br>The bone marrow produces 3 important parts of your blood:<br>· Platelets, which help blood to clot and stop bleeding<br>· White blood cells, which fight infection<br>· Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to cells (see “Anemia” above)<br>Chemo destroys some of the bone marrow cells so fewer blood cells are produced. A<br>drop in the levels of any one of these cells leads to certain side effects.<br>Your doctor will check your blood cell count by doing a test called a complete blood<br>count or CBC. This will be done often during your treatment.<br>Bleeding or clotting problems<br>Chemo can affect the bone marrow’s ability to make platelets. These are the blood cells<br>that help stop bleeding by plugging up damaged blood vessels and helping your blood to<br>clot. If you don’t have enough platelets, you may bleed or bruise more easily than usual,<br>even from a minor injury. A shortage of platelets is called thrombocytopenia (throm-bosy-<br>toe-PEEN-ee-uh).<br>Report these signs of thrombocytopenia to your doctor:<br>· Unexpected bruising<br>· Small flat red spots under your skin<br>· Red or pink urine<br>· Black or bloody bowel movements<br>· Any bleeding from your gums or nose<br>· Bad headaches<br>· Dizziness<br>· Pain in joints and muscles<br>Your doctor will check your platelet count often during your treatment. If it falls too low,<br>you may need a platelet transfusion.<br>Things that may help you avoid problems if your platelet count is low:<br>· Don’t take any medicine without first checking with your doctor or nurse. This<br>includes aspirin and aspirin-free pain relievers, like acetaminophen (Tylenol®),<br>ibuprofen, and any other medicines you can buy without a prescription. Some of these<br>medicines can make bleeding problems worse.<br>· Don’t drink any alcohol (beer, wine, or liquor) unless your doctor says it’s OK.<br>· Use an extra-soft bristle toothbrush to clean your teeth, and talk to your doctor before<br>using dental floss.<br>· If you have a runny nose, blow gently into a soft tissue.<br>· Take care not to cut or nick yourself when using scissors, needles, knives, or tools.<br>· Be careful not to burn yourself when ironing or cooking. Use a padded glove rather<br>than a potholder when you reach into the oven.<br>· Avoid contact sports and other activities that might cause an injury.<br>· Drink plenty of fluids and eat enough fiber to reduce your chances of getting<br>constipated.<br>· Use an electric shaver instead of a razor.<br>· When bending over, keep your head above your heart.<br>Infection<br>Having a low white blood cell count decreases your body’s ability to fight infections.<br>One type of white blood cell, the neutrophil (new-trow-fill), is especially important in<br>fighting infections. A shortage of neutrophils is called neutropenia (new-trow-PEEN-eeuh).<br>Infections can begin in almost any part of your body and most often start in your mouth,<br>skin, lungs, urinary tract, and rectum.<br>If your white blood cell count drops too much, your doctor may hold treatment, give you<br>a lower dose of chemo, or give you a growth factor shot that makes your bone marrow<br>put out more white blood cells.<br>Things that may help you prevent infections:<br>· Wash your hands often during the day, especially before you eat and after you use the<br>bathroom.<br>· Stay away from crowds.<br>· Stay away from people who have diseases you can catch, such as colds, flu, measles,<br>or chicken pox.<br>· Do not get any immunization shots (vaccines) without first checking with your cancer<br>doctor (oncologist or hematologist).<br>· Stay away from people who have recently had an immunization, such as a vaccine for<br>chicken pox or small pox. Check with your doctor about which vaccines are<br>important and how long you should stay away from people who have had them.<br>· Clean your rectal area very well but gently after each bowel movement. Ask your<br>doctor or nurse for advice if the area becomes sore or if you have hemorrhoids. Also,<br>check with your doctor before using enemas or suppositories.<br>· Don’t cut, bite, or tear the cuticles of your nails.<br>· Be careful not to cut or nick yourself when using scissors, needles, or knives.<br>· Use an electric shaver instead of a razor to prevent breaks or cuts in your skin.<br>· Use an extra-soft bristle toothbrush that won’t hurt your gums, and talk to your doctor<br>before using dental floss.<br>· Don’t squeeze or scratch pimples.<br>· Take a warm (not hot) bath, shower, or sponge bath every day. Pat your skin dry<br>using a light touch. Don’t rub.<br>· Use lotion or oil to soften and heal your skin if it becomes dry and cracked.<br>· Clean cuts, scrapes, and broken skin right away with warm water and soap. Use an<br>antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage.<br>· Wear waterproof gloves when gardening or cleaning up after animals and others,<br>especially small children. Wash your hands afterward, since gloves can have holes<br>that are too small to see.<br>Even if you are extra careful, your body may not be able to fight infections when your<br>white blood cell count is low. Look out for and check your body regularly for signs and<br>symptoms that you might have an infection. Pay special attention to your eyes, nose,<br>mouth, and genital and rectal areas. The symptoms of infection could be:<br>· Fever of 100.5°F or greater when your temperature is taken by mouth<br>· Chills<br>· Sweating<br>· Loose stools (This can also be a side effect of chemo.)<br>· A burning feeling when you urinate<br>· A bad cough or sore throat<br>· Unusual vaginal discharge or itching<br>· Redness, swelling, or tenderness, especially around a wound, sore, pimple, IV site, or<br>central venous catheter<br>· Abdominal (belly) pain<br>Report any signs of infection to your doctor right away. If you have a fever, don’t use<br>aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or any other medicine to bring your temperature down<br>without first checking with your doctor.<br>For much more detail on the immune system, infections and cancer, and how to prevent<br>them, please see Infections in People With Cancer. It can be read online, or call us for a<br>free copy.<br>Nausea and vomiting<br>What can I do about nausea and vomiting?<br>Nausea and vomiting are 2 of the most dreaded side effects of chemo. How often you<br>have these side effects and how bad they are depends on the drugs you are getting and<br>how they affect you.<br>Nausea and vomiting may start during treatment and last a few hours. Sometimes, but<br>less often, severe nausea and vomiting can last for a few days. Be sure to tell your doctor<br>or nurse if you are very nauseated, if you have been vomiting for more than a day, or if<br>the problem is so bad that you can’t keep liquids down.<br>Nausea and vomiting can almost always be lessened by a change in the way you eat and<br>with drugs that help relieve both symptoms (these drugs are called anti-emetics).<br>Different anti-emetics work for different people. You may need to try more than one<br>before you get relief. Don’t give up! Keep working with your doctor and nurse to find the<br>anti-emetics that work best for you.<br>Some people getting chemo feel queasy even before treatment begins. This is called<br>anticipatory nausea, and it’s very real. The best way to handle anticipatory nausea is by<br>taking anti-emetics to prevent vomiting, and by using relaxation techniques.<br>Things that may help with nausea and vomiting:<br>· Avoid big meals so your stomach won’t feel too full. Eat frequent, small meals<br>throughout the day instead of a few large meals.<br>· Drink liquids at least an hour before or after mealtime instead of with your meals.<br>· Eat and drink slowly.<br>· Stay away from sweet, fried, or fatty foods.<br>· Eat foods cold or at room temperature so you won’t be bothered by strong smells.<br>· Chew your food well for better digestion.<br>· If nausea is a problem in the morning, try eating dry foods, such as cereal, toast, or<br>crackers, before getting up. (Don’t try this if your mouth is too dry, or if you have<br>sores in your mouth or throat.)<br>· Drink cool, clear liquids, such as apple juice, tea, or ginger ale that has lost its fizz.<br>· Suck on ice cubes, mints, or tart candies. (Don’t eat tart candies if you have mouth or<br>throat sores.)<br>· Try to avoid odors that bother you, such as cooking smells, smoke, or perfume.<br>· Rest in a chair after eating, but don’t lie flat for at least 2 hours after you’ve finished<br>your meal.<br>· Wear loose-fitting clothes.<br>· Breathe deeply and slowly when you feel nauseated.<br>· Distract yourself by talking with friends or family members, listening to music, or<br>watching a movie or TV show.<br>· Use relaxation techniques.<br>Call us or go to our Web site to get more tips and details in our document called Nausea<br>and Vomiting.<br>Other chemo side effects and tips to manage them<br>Appetite changes<br>There may be days when you just can’t eat because of things like nausea, taste changes,<br>or mouth and throat problems. You also can lose your appetite if you feel depressed or<br>tired.<br>When you have a poor appetite, try these tips:<br>· Eat small meals or snacks whenever you want. You don’t have to eat 3 regular meals<br>each day.<br>· Vary your diet, and try new foods and recipes.<br>· Take a walk before meals whenever you can. This may help you feel hungrier.<br>· Change your mealtime routine. For example, eat by candlelight or in a different place.<br>· Eat with friends or family members. When eating alone, listen to the radio or watch<br>TV.<br>· If you live alone, you might want to arrange for Meals on Wheels or a program like<br>this to bring food to you. Ask your doctor, nurse, or local American Cancer Society<br>office about services in your area.<br>For more information, please see our booklet called Nutrition for the Person With Cancer<br>During Treatment: A Guide for Patients and Families or Nutrition for Children With<br>Cancer.<br>Constipation<br>Some people become constipated (have trouble passing bowel movements) from chemo.<br>Others may become constipated because they are less active, eat less than usual, have diet<br>changes, or because they are taking certain pain medicines. Tell your doctor if you<br>haven’t had a bowel movement in 2 or more days. You may need to take a laxative or<br>stool softener, but don’t use these unless you have checked with your doctor, especially if<br>your white blood cell count or platelet count is low.<br>Things that may help you deal with constipation:<br>· Drink plenty of fluids to help keep your stool soft. Warm and hot fluids often work<br>well.<br>· Eat a lot of high-fiber foods. High-fiber foods include bran, whole-wheat breads and<br>cereals, raw or cooked vegetables, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, and popcorn.<br>· Get some exercise. Just getting out for a walk can help, as can a planned exercise<br>program. Be sure to check with your doctor before increasing your physical activity.<br>Diarrhea<br>When chemo affects the cells lining the intestine, it can cause diarrhea. Diarrhea is most<br>often defined as 2 or more loose stools in 4 hours. If you have diarrhea that lasts for more<br>than 24 hours, or if you have pain and cramping along with it, call your doctor. In severe<br>cases, the doctor may have you take an anti-diarrheal medicine, but don’t take any overthe-<br>counter anti-diarrheal medicines without asking your doctor first. Some chemo drugs<br>are known to cause diarrhea. Your doctor will give instructions on what to do if you are<br>getting one of these drugs.<br>Things that may help control diarrhea:<br>· Eat smaller amounts of food, but eat more often.<br>· Avoid coffee, tea, alcohol, and sweets.<br>· Avoid high-fiber foods, which can lead to diarrhea and cramping. High-fiber foods<br>include whole-grain breads and cereals, raw vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, popcorn,<br>and fresh and dried fruit.<br>· Eat low-fiber foods, such as white bread, white rice or noodles, creamed cereals, ripe<br>bananas, canned or cooked fruit without skins, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, mashed<br>or baked potatoes without the skin, pureed vegetables, chicken or turkey without the<br>skin, and fish.<br>· Stay away from fried, greasy, or spicy foods.<br>· Avoid milk and milk products if they make your diarrhea worse.<br>· Eat more potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, oranges, potatoes, and peach and<br>apricot nectars, unless your doctor has told you otherwise.<br>· Drink plenty of fluids to replace those you have lost through diarrhea. Mild, clear<br>liquids, such as apple juice, water, clear broth, or ginger ale, are best. Make sure they<br>are at room temperature, and drink them slowly. Let carbonated drinks lose their fizz<br>before you drink them.<br>If your diarrhea is severe (meaning that you have had 7 or 8 loose stools in 24 hours), tell<br>your doctor right away. Ask if you should try a clear-liquid diet to give your bowels time<br>to rest. Then, as you feel better, slowly add the low-fiber foods. A clear-liquid diet<br>doesn’t have all the nutrients you need, so don’t follow it for more than 3 or 4 days. If<br>your diarrhea doesn’t get better, you may need to get IV fluids to replace the water and<br>nutrients you have lost.<br>Mouth, gum, and throat problems<br>Good mouth care is important during cancer treatment. Chemo can cause sores in the<br>mouth and throat. It can make these areas dry and irritated or cause them to bleed. Mouth<br>sores are not only painful, but they can also become infected by the many germs that<br>normally live in your mouth. Infections can be hard to fight during chemo and can lead to<br>serious problems. It’s important to take every possible step to prevent them.<br>Ways to help keep your mouth, gums, and throat healthy:<br>· Have your teeth cleaned at least 2 weeks before you start chemo, and take care of any<br>cavities, abscesses, gum disease, or poorly fitting dentures. This will give you time to<br>heal from any procedures that are needed.<br>· Ask your dentist to show you the best ways to brush and floss your teeth during<br>chemo.<br>· Ask about a daily fluoride rinse or gel to help prevent decay because chemo can make<br>you more likely to get cavities.<br>· Brush your teeth and gums after every meal. Use an extra-soft bristle toothbrush and<br>a gentle touch – brushing too hard can damage soft mouth tissues.<br>· Ask your dentist to suggest a special type of toothbrush, floss or dental ribbon, and<br>toothpaste if your gums are very sensitive.<br>· Rinse your toothbrush well after each use, and store it in a dry place.<br>· Avoid commercial mouthwashes. They often contain irritants such as alcohol.<br>Instead, ask your doctor or nurse about a mild mouthwash to help prevent mouth<br>infections.<br>If you develop sores in your mouth (this is called stomatitis), tell your doctor or nurse<br>right away because you may need treatment. Be sure to let the doctor know if the sores<br>are painful or if they keep you from eating.<br>If the sores are painful or keep you from eating, try these tips:<br>· Ask your doctor if there is anything you can put right on the sores to treat them and if<br>there’s medicine you can take to ease the pain.<br>· Eat foods cold or at room temperature. Hot and warm foods can irritate a tender<br>mouth and throat.<br>· Choose soft, soothing foods, such as ice cream, milk shakes, baby food, soft fruits<br>(like bananas and applesauce), mashed potatoes, cooked cereals, soft-boiled or<br>scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, macaroni and cheese, custards, puddings, and gelatin.<br>You also can puree cooked foods in the blender to make them smoother and easier to<br>eat.<br>· Avoid irritating, acidic foods, such as tomatoes, citrus fruit, and citrus fruit juice<br>(orange, grapefruit, and lemon); spicy or salty foods; and rough, coarse, or dry foods<br>like raw vegetables, pretzels, granola, and toast.<br>If your mouth is dry and it bothers you or makes it hard for you to eat, try these<br>tips:<br>· Ask your doctor if you should use an artificial saliva product to moisten your mouth.<br>· Drink plenty of liquids.<br>· Suck on ice chips, Popsicles, or sugarless hard candy.<br>· Chew sugarless gum.<br>· Moisten dry foods with butter, margarine, gravy, sauces, or broth.<br>· Dunk crisp, dry foods in mild liquids.<br>· Eat soft and pureed foods.<br>· Use lip balm if your lips become dry.<br>Nerve and muscle problems<br>Certain chemo drugs can cause peripheral neuropathy, a nerve problem that causes<br>tingling, pins and needles, burning sensations, weakness, and/or numbness in your hands<br>and feet.<br>You may feel any of these nerve-related symptoms:<br>· Loss of balance<br>· Clumsiness<br>· Trouble picking up things and buttoning clothing<br>· Problems walking<br>· Jaw pain<br>· Hearing loss<br>· Vision changes<br>· Stomach pain<br>· Constipation<br>Along with affecting the nerves, certain chemo drugs can affect the muscles and make<br>them weak, tired, or sore.<br>Nerve and muscle effects are frustrating, yet in most cases they are not serious if caught<br>early. They are usually short term and will get better after treatment is done. Still, it’s<br>important to tell your doctor about any nerve or muscle symptoms right away. They can<br>get worse and become quite painful if left untreated. Your doctor might want to stop the<br>chemo for a while or offer you treatment to ease these symptoms.<br>Caution and common sense can help you deal with nerve and muscle problems.<br>Follow these tips:<br>· If your fingers become numb, be very careful when handling objects that are sharp,<br>hot, or otherwise dangerous.<br>· If your sense of balance is affected, move carefully, use handrails on stairs, and use a<br>bath mat in the tub or shower.<br>For more information see Peripheral Neuropathy Caused by Chemotherapy. Call us for a<br>free copy or read it on our Web site at www.cancer.org.<br>Skin and nail changes<br>You may have minor skin problems during treatment, including color changes, redness,<br>itching, peeling, dryness, rashes, and acne.<br>You can take care of most of these problems yourself using these tips:<br>· If you develop acne, try to keep your face clean and dry.<br>· To help avoid dryness, take quick, warm showers rather than long, hot baths.<br>· Apply creams or lotions after bathing, while your skin is still moist.<br>· Do not use perfume, cologne, or aftershave lotion. These products often contain<br>alcohol, which can make your skin dry.<br>· For itching, try cornstarch.<br>When given through an IV, certain chemo drugs may darken your skin along the vein.<br>This discoloration will usually fade over time after treatment ends.<br>Most skin problems are not serious, but a few need to be taken care of right away. For<br>example, certain drugs given through an IV can cause serious, long-term tissue damage if<br>they leak out of the vein. Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you notice swelling or<br>feel any burning or pain near your IV site when you are getting IV drugs. These<br>symptoms don’t always mean there’s a problem, but they should always be checked out<br>right away.<br>Let your doctor or nurse know right away if you develop sudden or severe itching, if your<br>skin breaks out in a rash or hives, or if you start wheezing or have any other trouble<br>breathing. These symptoms may mean you are having an allergic reaction that needs<br>attention right away.<br>Some chemo drugs may make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Check with your<br>doctor or nurse about using sunscreen. You may need to completely avoid direct sunlight.<br>Wear long-sleeved cotton shirts, pants, and wide-brimmed hats to block the sun.<br>Your nails may become darkened, brittle, or cracked, or they may develop vertical lines<br>or bands. Protect your nails by wearing gloves when washing dishes, gardening, or doing<br>other work around the house. Some over-the-counter products might strengthen your<br>nails, but these products may also cause irritation.<br>Get advice from your doctor if any skin and nail problems don’t respond to your efforts.<br>Be sure to let your doctor know if you have redness, pain, or changes around your<br>cuticles or any other skin problems that you’re worried about.<br>Urine changes and bladder and kidney problems<br>Some chemo drugs can irritate your bladder or cause short- or long-term kidney damage.<br>They may also cause your urine to change color (orange, red, green, or yellow) or take on<br>a strong or medicine-like odor. For a short time, the color and odor of semen may be<br>changed, too. (See the section for men under “Sex, fertility, and chemo.”)<br>Ask your doctor if your chemo may have these effects. And let your doctor know if you<br>have any symptoms that might be a sign of a problem. Watch for these signs and<br>symptoms:<br>· Pain or burning when you urinate<br>· Urinating a lot<br>· A feeling that you must urinate right away<br>· Reddish or bloody urine (Some chemo drugs will change the color of your urine. Tell<br>your doctor or nurse if this happens.)<br>· Fever<br>· Chills<br>Drink plenty of fluids to ensure good urine flow and help prevent problems. Water, juice,<br>coffee, tea, soup, soft drinks, broth, ice cream, Popsicles, and gelatin count as fluids.<br>Weight gain<br>Some people, usually women, put on weight during chemo. We aren’t sure why this<br>happens.<br>Whether you gain weight or not, good nutrition is very important during treatment.<br>People who eat well cope with side effects better and are better able to fight infection.<br>Their bodies can also rebuild healthy tissues faster.<br>Eating well during chemo means choosing a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients<br>your body needs. You should include foods from each of the following food groups:<br>fruits and vegetables; poultry, fish, and meat; cereals and breads; and dairy products. You<br>also should take in enough calories to keep your weight up and, most importantly, enough<br>protein to build and repair skin, hair, muscles, and organs.<br>You also may need to drink extra fluid to protect your bladder and kidneys during your<br>treatment.<br>To learn more, please see Nutrition for the Person With Cancer During Treatment: A<br>Guide for Patients and Families and Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After<br>Cancer Treatment: Answers to Common Questions. Both can be read online or call us for<br>free copies. <ref name="one" /> | | {| border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="819" align="left" height="332" |
