Chemotherapy is an aggressive method of treating cancer. Chemotherapy courses are often accompanied by an increase in temperature during the period of their use. Before you try to lower your temperature on your own after such procedures, you should know why it manifests itself and what state of the body is considered critical.

Human condition after chemotherapy

There are five degrees of the condition human body, which may occur after or during a course of chemotherapy. The first two degrees, when there are practically no changes in a person’s well-being, the temperature remains normal or slightly above 37°C, and the person’s general activity is not impaired. This condition does not cause great concern among doctors. In these cases, the patient is recommended to eat a certain diet and carefully monitor his condition for a day or more. The third and fourth degrees of the patient’s condition after chemotherapy, when disorders in the body are pronounced. For example, a high temperature has risen, severe vomiting and diarrhea are present. Apparently, in this case, the effects of chemicals are destructive and pose a threat to human life. At such degrees of the condition, a person needs to stop treatment and be fully monitored in a clinical setting.

Why does fever appear after chemotherapy?

The fact that elevated temperature often accompanies the patient’s condition after a course of chemotherapy is explained as follows. Chemical elements after the procedure lower the level of neutrophils in the blood. The infection, whatever it is in the body, spreads quickly due to their reduction. In addition, against the background of low immunity, it is not easy for the body to cope with inflammation. If you have a fever and it is high enough, you should immediately inform your doctor. He will order a blood test, determine why the temperature rises, and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Patient Actions

So, after a course of chemotherapy or during it, constantly measure your body temperature. If it is above 38°C, tell your doctor. You should not take modern painkillers pharmaceutical products, which will “blur” the picture of a spreading infection in the body. Call an ambulance if you realize that your body cannot cope with a high temperature on its own. As a last resort, if the doctor is far away and the ambulance will not be there soon, you can use folk remedies temperature reduction. Drink more water or other liquid that is allowed by your diet. Wipe the body with water adding apple or table vinegar. You can dilute a little vodka with water and quickly wipe your body with it. Do not wrap yourself up, on the contrary, give your body access to air and take off all your clothes if possible. Be sure to call a doctor at home or consult with him by phone about what you should do if your temperature rises after a course of chemotherapy.

Cancer is one of the most terrible diseases of our time. It can be so unpredictable and veiled that, sometimes, it can be calculated only at the very later stages of development, when there is no longer any possibility of saving a person - cancer cells grow throughout the affected organ with tremendous speed, destroying not only this very organ, but the entire person.

Medical statistics show that every year there are more and more people with cancer.

Causes of cancer

It is also surprising that cancer is sometimes provoked quite simply. That is, there is no need for any particularly serious reason that would be capable of causing the development of a cancerous tumor.

1. A fairly common cause of cancer is heredity, which is already considered scary in its own way. It turns out that if someone in your family, no matter whether in the male or female line, had cancer, then it is possible that the appearance of this disease is quite possible for you.
2. Another important cause of the occurrence and development of cancer in the human body is background radiation. If, by the will of fate, you find yourself in a place where the radiation level is quite high, then it is necessary to conduct almost monthly examinations for the development of oncology. The very first thing that radiation can cause is cancer.

Methods for treating cancer

Modern medicine, of course, does not stand still and is constantly evolving. With regard to the treatment of cancer, new methods and drugs appear almost every year, however, the more often cancer reaches its last, final fourth stage, the faster it brings human death closer.

Basic methods of treating cancer.

1. First of all, the tumor is targeted using chemotherapy. Special chemicals that are introduced into the body of a person suffering from cancer are aimed at completely destroying rapidly growing cancer cells. The effect of chemotherapy on this disease in its initial stages has a fairly positive effect on the patient’s entire medical history. Very often it is possible to achieve desired result and completely defeat cancer.
2. Another method of fighting cancer is surgery. As a rule, it is carried out in conjunction with chemotherapy. It happens that the procedure for influencing cancer cells with chemicals is simply not enough, and in order to prevent the cancer tumor from developing in breadth, surgical intervention is prescribed.

Unfortunately, the effects of chemicals on the human body do not pass without leaving a trace. This process, which is aimed at destroying the most terrible cells that can bring death to a person, sometimes leaves behind not very pleasant consequences, one of which is temperature.

Chemotherapy is a fairly common phenomenon that most cancer patients complain about. The thing is that chemicals harm everything immune system in the human body, and this opens all the doors to literally bursting viruses and bacteria. Therefore, as soon as the patient finishes chemotherapy, he develops a fever literally the next day. However, there is no need to panic. As soon as a short amount of time has passed, the body is saturated with vitamins and other useful components that will eliminate the effects of exposure to chemicals, rest assured that you will forget about the temperature.

Indeed, cancer is a very difficult thing to cope with, at times. The main thing to remember is that there is always a way out of any situation. Modern medicine fights for every life!

After a course of chemotherapy, the patient needs increased attention. If your temperature rises after chemotherapy, is this normal or should you immediately contact a specialist? An oncologist will answer this question. Since the temperature often rises after chemotherapy, doctors consider this to be normal. But if the mark is exceeded by more than 38 g, there is a reason to contact oncologists. If the fever persists 8-9 days after the end of the chemotherapy course, then this is no longer a common cold, but a more complex condition.

What to do if your temperature rises

If the temperature rises to high levels after a course of chemotherapy, doctors advise monitoring your well-being. If other unpleasant symptoms appear in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, consult a doctor.

During the rehabilitation period, cancer patients are advised to:

• avoid staying in crowded places due to a severely weakened body and the possibility of quickly picking up any infection
• do not use other people's equipment and hygiene items
• track your nutrition, include protein foods and vitamins in your diet.

You cannot ignore the increase in temperature, which can rise suddenly after chemotherapy and not subside even after taking antipyretics.

If the temperature rises 8-10 days after chemotherapy and other suspicious signs appear: shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion, severe headaches, stiffness of movement, clouding of consciousness, bloody urine, sore throat. The condition may become critical and immediate treatment is required. If emergency measures are not taken, everything can end in death.

Reasons for rising temperature

Chemotherapy drugs have a depressing effect on the bone marrow, which in turn leads to a sharp decrease in the level of leukocytes, which are designed to fight infection. Along with the leukocyte level, platelets, red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood are subject to suppression. It is a decrease in their number that leads to a serious condition - pancytopenia, when the patient’s body becomes unstable before the onslaught of any, even the most minor infection: fungi, protozoa, bacteria, viruses.

Despite the course of chemotherapy, the infection continues to live in the body for quite a long time, leading to a weakening of the immune system, and if urgent measures are not taken, to the development of sepsis, pyelonephritis, and pneumonia.

Exactly inflammatory processes lead to an increase in temperature and indicate that the infection continues to develop, and blood counts are at a fairly low level.

In addition to the increase in temperature, the patient experiences a sore throat, weakness when a fungal infection is attached, and when a viral infection occurs - nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.

Elevated temperature after chemotherapy, normal or pathological

After chemotherapy, the temperature is normal – 36-37 degrees. This means that the course was tolerated normally, but an increase in fever to subfebrile levels of 37.5 - 38 g indicates the side effects of chemotherapy drugs. A febrile temperature of 38-39 degrees is the most dangerous and indicates agranulocytosis, a complication caused by the development of serious complications when the patient requires immediate hospitalization

If the temperature rises to 41 degrees and is hyperpyretic in nature, then the condition becomes threatening not only to health, but also to life. Immediate contact with oncologists is required. Jumps in the temperature scale are unacceptable and indicate the beginning of the development of serious pathologies in the body:

• infectious pneumonia
• sepsis
• pyelonephritis.

Even a slight increase in temperature indicates the development of an inflammatory process or the presence of low blood levels. Fever is one of the main symptoms indicating complications after the administration of chemotherapy drugs.

Often, with leukopenia, the temperature in patients rises to 41 g and the dangerous condition requires immediate hospitalization, since it inevitably leads to disruption of myeloid and lymphoid functions in the hematopoietic system, the development of agranulocytosis, bone marrow breakdown and death.

What drugs can cause fever?

An adverse temperature reaction in the form of an increase in temperature is caused by injections of anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve swelling, itching, and pain.

Patients are prescribed the strongest antitumor drugs: Docetaxel, platinum, Floracid, Halavelon, Paclitaxel, Gemcitabine, Fluorouracil. In addition to individual intolerance by the body to these drugs, the development of necrosis, the appearance of non-healing pustules, and ulcers on the body are possible. In addition to persistently high fever as a side effect, patients:

• pain behind the sternum
• aches in muscles and joints
• ankles swell
• has a fever
• increased sweating
• urination is impaired
• upset intestines
• Allergic skin rashes are possible.

In case of such symptoms, you need to urgently contact oncologists.

Informative video

With the help of chemotherapy, it is possible to destroy malignant tumors or stop their growth. Unfortunately, after chemotherapy, quite often a sick person experiences side effects. One of them is increased or decreased body temperature.

Why does fever appear after chemotherapy?

A person who has cancer has a very weakened body. His immune system cannot fully perform its functions. The patient’s body simply cannot cope with infections on its own. It is for this reason that body temperature rises.

As a rule, chemical drugs can harm the entire human immune system, resulting in various side effects. Of course, temperature after chemotherapy indicates that changes are occurring in the body. During this period, a person who suffers from cancer may become infected with viral diseases.

Very often, fever is accompanied by the following symptoms:

Redness at the injection site;
. chills and insomnia;
. increased sweating;
. pain in the arms, legs;
. diarrhea that does not go away;
. muscle or chest pain.

If there is at least one of the above symptoms, and the temperature does not drop, then you need to quickly seek help from your doctor. Only he will be able to give valuable recommendations and prescribe the correct course of treatment.
Actions at high temperatures

It is important for patients to remember that fever during chemotherapy is an alarming symptom. If it is not noticed in time, infectious diseases may arise that will cause even greater harm to the body. It is necessary to measure the temperature when the first signs of chills or fever appear. In the case when the thermometer reaches 38 degrees or higher, you need to seek help from a doctor.

A person who is sick with cancer should not select antipyretic drugs on their own. An elevated temperature may signal the onset of an infectious disease. If this signal is ignored, then there is a high probability that the flu or other illness will still “settle” in the body.

Some good advice

Not always and not all patients develop a fever after chemotherapy. Sometimes it happens that it decreases to a level that is not considered normal. In this case, it is also necessary to contact the doctor who is treating the patient. A low temperature indicates that the dose of chemicals was too high.

If your body temperature is high or low, the doctor will prescribe a blood test and x-ray chest, possibly a number of other analyses. Only after this will he choose the most appropriate course of treatment and give recommendations.

The risk of contracting viral infections is reduced when the patient strictly adheres to certain rules. It is not very advisable for him to visit crowded places or come into contact with those people who are already suffering from the flu. It is necessary to take care of personal hygiene: wash your hands with soap more often, cut your nails regularly, do not take other people's towels or any other items.

It must be remembered that fever after chemotherapy can disappear very quickly. In some people, such a symptom is not observed at all after a course of chemical medications.

• Increase in temperature after chemotherapy
• Actions in case of temperature reaction

Fever after chemotherapy is quite common. Some doctors consider it normal for the temperature to change in one direction or another, but still ask patients to notify them if there is a significant deviation from the standard value.

Any change in temperature is a reason to consult a doctor. During the procedure, the number of leukocytes in the blood changes, immunity decreases, and susceptibility to infection when pathogenic flora enters the body increases.

Increase in temperature after chemotherapy

If it persists after the procedure:

• the average temperature is normal (from 36 to 37ºC), then there is no need to worry;
• reading below 36 ºC – accompanying therapy is required;
• low-grade fever (from 37.1 to 38.1ºC) - rehabilitation therapy is necessary.

The febrile reading on the thermometer is from 38.1 to 39ºC. In this case, it is necessary to find out what causes such an increase, that is, do a clinical blood test. If pathology is detected, treatment in a hospital may be required.

One of the dangerous symptoms is leukopenia. Its first sign is temperature: the mercury fluctuates between 39.1 - 41.0ºC. This condition is life-threatening and hospitalization is mandatory.

With leukopenia, the body stops reproducing leukocytes, lymphoid and myeloid hematopoietic functions are disrupted, and agranulocytosis occurs. Bone marrow breakdown caused by these complications can be fatal.

A slight change in temperature may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• pain behind the sternum;
• muscle aches;
• swelling in the ankles;
• feverish condition;
• excessive sweating;
• urinary disorders;
• intestinal disorder;
• local allergic reaction at the injection site.

In this case, it is necessary to notify the oncologist.

A temperature reaction can be caused by local inflammatory processes during injections. The skin at the injection site swells, itching and pain are felt. If the individual reaction to the medicine is negative, necrotic foci appear along the vein. They are extremely difficult to heal.

A side effect in the form of a temperature reaction is caused by the following drugs:

• Gemcitabine;
• Docetaxel;
• platinum drugs;
• Paclitaxel;
• Fluorouracil;
• Halaven.

The rapid development of the infectious process occurs with the introduction of pathogenic flora.

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Actions in case of temperature reaction

The temperature may rise for several hours after chemotherapy is given or the next day.

It is strictly forbidden to take antipyretic drugs on your own, without a doctor’s prescription. It is imperative to notify the oncologist and scrupulously follow his instructions.

It may be necessary not only general analysis blood, but also chest X-ray and other specific studies. The decision on the necessary therapy is made based on the results of the examination.

Avoid contact with people suffering from viral and bacterial infections. It is advisable to wear a protective mask when around strangers.

You need to be especially careful about your personal hygiene.

1. Do not use other people's cosmetics and hygiene products.
2. Trim your nails and prevent the accumulation of foreign matter under the nail plate.
3. Wash your hands with disinfectants.

If there is a slight temperature jump and the value returns to normal within a few hours after the injection, no treatment is required.

If the temperature continues to rise, consultation with your doctor is necessary. Only he can give appropriate recommendations for restoring the condition.