Question about cancer treatment?
Hi All, My father was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer and had spread a little bit to his liver... He's been doing well in term of energy, appetite and overall mood.. He started a chemotherapy treatment called Gemcitabine.. It made him feel really sick the first day and he's now feeling a lot better. He has eliminated diary products from his diet and has been on a vegetarian kind of diet with helathy fats such as flaxseed and fish oils and immune boosters. He had his third chemo today and the doctors told him to come for a blood examination on monday, why is this done and is it done to every cancer patient?
Cancer - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Is what done with every cancer patient? The blood work? It is done to see how well he is responding to chemo. This is common. What kind of “immune boosters†is he taking? Does his oncologist know? Do you realize they could be interacting or conflicting with his chemo? Please make sure his oncologist knows what he is taking.
2 :
Yes, on a regular basis. A medic will explain why but when I was undergoing treatment I certainly had very regular blood checks.
3 :
"Denise" above is correct. Do not give extra treatments on your own without the oncology team's knowledge. Blood checks are used to guide the treatment - the white blood cell counts must be monitored for dose adjustments. What concerns me is that this should have been explained in detail by the oncologist and his or her oncology nurses. Your father should have been given all of this instruction. If you were with you dad at the time of his office visits, you both should have been informed about the need to monitor white blood counts. If you did not accompany your father to the oncologist's office, I strongly encourage you to do so. If you can't - due to work or school - you will have to depend on your father remembering the information that the oncology team is providing for him. The problem is that many patients cannot remember what they have been told. They are frightened and in shock. A second set of ears can be very helpful to hear the advice given verbally in the office by the oncologist and the nurses..
4 :
Blood work is done on every chemo patient, the doctors are checking white and red blood counts among other things.
5 :
I'm undergoing chemo and radiation for brain cancer and I have blood work done once a week to make sure my immune system is where it needs to be, to make sure my medication levels are affecting me correctly, to make sure all my levels are correct. It's perfectly normal. Best of luck!
6 :
to see if they can get the cancer in remission and yes it will be rough for a short while but hopeful every thing will turn out for the best unlike me mine is a fatal brain tumor but im going with out treatment and let natural take its course and i hope for the best for me and i really hope the best for you and your father godspeed on his recovery may the lord be your shinning lite and to and to answer you question yes blood work is for every cancer patient to so if it is still in the blood stream
7 :
Im going threw the same thing Im having chemo treatment and 2 days before chemo I have to get my blood work done just to make sure my red and white blood cell counts are back up again before my next treatment.
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Title : Question about cancer treatment
Description : Question about cancer treatment? Hi All, My father was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer and had spread a little bit to his liver... He...