CAPOX Chemotherapy

CAPOX chemotherapy is aimed at curing cancers of the rectal and the colon apart from this it is also used to cure many other diseases. The main two drugs that are used in this type of cancer are capecitabine and oxaliplatin. The usefulness of these two drugs is that they prevent the further cell division and also the growth of these thus inducing self-destruction or help them destroy themselves.

Certain points to remember

Capectabine - If taken with blood thinners than the expected result is much less and those patients who are under this treatment need to inform their respective doctors about the blood thinning medications that are taken. The dosage of the blood thinning drug can be decreased before starting off on chemotherapy treatment.

There are certain side effects that are associated with the use of capecitabine the most severe of them is diarrhea and in some unusual cases it may also affect the heart thus triggering heart ailments. Some of the heart ailments that are associated with this drug are irregularity of the heart beats, angina, heart failures, electro cardio graphic changes and heart attacks leading to death sometimes. In case any of the above signs or symptoms is noticed it should be brought under the immediate notice of your doctor.

Oxaliplatin - This drug is commonly known to attack the body’s nerve cells thus stopping its proper functioning and is often referred to as neuropathy. The effect of this drug can be seen almost immediately i.e. within a few hours of administering the medication or may be seen even after a couple of days. In this case it is termed as early onset neuropathy. It is curable and can be cured within a fortnight.

Exposure to cold climates and other cold objects is known to aggravate the problem. You should avoid drinking and eating foodstuffs that are cold for a few days after the commencement of the chemotherapy.

The effect of neuropathy may last for a few weeks to sometimes as few months and then it is termed as chronic neuropathy, neuropathy symptoms are often seen after the patient undergoes the treatment using oxaliplatin.

What are the precautions that need to be taken while oxaliplatin treatment?

Pharyngolaryngeal dysesthesia in which you feel discomfort of the throat is a side effect due to the use of oxaliplatin and this can cause not only difficulty in breathing but also problems in swallowing. In case of leakage of this drug in the veins even accidentally it can cause pain and burning sensation leading to redness of the affected area and swelling which needs immediate medication.

Oxaliplatin also affects the functioning of the kidneys, pulmonary fibrosis leading to various heart ailments. Swollen lips, tongue, rashes etc. are other allergic reactions that is caused due to this medication.

Patients undergoing CAPOX mode of chemotherapy need to be careful about the side effects and any major change or development in the body which needs to be brought into immediate notice of your doctor so that the treatment cycle is stopped until you have recovered completely from the side effects caused by the above mentioned medication.