Part III Management of the Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy

Chapter 1

How to Cope with the Side Effects 

Dealing with Type 3 Side Effects

Liver and Kidney Injuries

Liver is the most critical organ in the body’s metabolism and detoxification. In addition, it is a vital organ capable of regenerating some of the lost tissue. For liver injury, some drugs may be helpful in protecting liver. For example, amifostine (Trade name Ethyol®) is indicated to reduce the cumulative renal toxicity associated with repeated administration of cisplatin in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Other than amifostine, some natural products, such as milk thistle, may be useful in protecting or improving liver health.

Kidney toxicity is also referred to as nephrotoxicity, which is one of the most common toxicity resulted from chemotherapy. There are two important indicators of nephrotoxicity: BUN and creatinine. When kidney is damaged, blood levels of BUN and creatinine are usually elevated. Because urea is a waste form of nitrogen in the body, elevated BUN levels indicate that there is extra nitrogenous waste in the blood stream not properly filtered off by the kidney. As to creatinine, it is produced from creatine, an important molecule in energy production of muscle. Creatine is constantly converted into creatinine, which is constantly filtered off by the kidneys and disposed of in the urine.

In other words, kidney is critical in filtering off both BUN and creatinine to remove waste from the body. Therefore, when kidney function is affected by chemotherapy, blood levels of both BUN and creatinine are elevated. 

Peripheral Neuropathy

Neuropathy means disease or dysfunction of the nerves, which can be a side effect of chemotherapy. For peripheral neuropathy, the most commonly affected areas are the tips of fingers and toes. Common symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include tingling, burning, numbness/pain in the affected areas, and loss of balance, although sometimes other areas may also be affected. Massage one’s hands and feet may help improve blood circulation and temporarily relieve the pain. For a patient with peripheral neuropathy, he/she should see a doctor about any neuropathy symptoms to prevent further nerve damage. 

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2023

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book, "SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY", prepared by Dr. Jiajiu Shaw, Dr. Frederick Valeriote, and Dr. Ben Chen.