Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients

"Call your doctor right away if you get a fever or feel sick during your chemotherapy treatment.

People with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy are more likely to get infections. Your immune system helps your body protect itself from getting an infection. Cancer and chemotherapy can damage this system by reducing the number of infection-fighting white blood cells. This condition is called neutropenia.

An infection can lead to sepsis, the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency.

Find out from your doctor when your white blood cell count is likely to be lowest, since this is when you’re most at risk for infection. This usually occurs between 7 and 12 days after you finish each chemotherapy dose, and may last as long as one week.

How to Prevent Infections During Your Cancer Treatment

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Watch Out for Fever

If you get a fever during your chemotherapy treatment, it’s a medical emergency. Take your temperature any time you feel warm, flushed, chilled, or not well. Call your doctor right away if you have a temperature of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher.

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Wash Your Hands Often

Clean hands help prevent infections. You and anyone who comes around you, including family members, doctors, and nurses, also should wash their hands often. Don’t be afraid to ask people to wash their hands.

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Know the Symptoms of Infection

Call your doctor right away if you notice any symptoms of an infection, such as a fever, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, redness or swelling in any area, diarrhea, or vomiting..."

Cancer and infections 

Staying Healthy During and After Cancer Treatment

"“I’m proud to say that my family is full of survivors. My mother, aunt, and cousin are all cancer survivors. However, it’s a whole different ballgame when the person with cancer is staring at you in the mirror,” says Pam.

“I was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer in 2013. Not only did I learn I had triple-negative breast cancer (an aggressive and hard-to-treat type of breast cancer), but I accepted that my treatment plan would include chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiation.

“Before 2013, my days were spent working, driving a carpool, making dinner, and checking tasks off my never-ending to-do list. I wasn’t anywhere on that list. My true focus centered more on the health and happiness of my two boys.

“I’m thankful to be cancer-free today,” she says. “Having cancer forced me to understand the importance of making my health a priority.”

Preventing Infections During Chemotherapy

If you get chemotherapy to treat cancer, you’re more likely to get an infection. Chemotherapy kills many white blood cells, which are good cells that help your body fight infections. This is a side effect called neutropenia.

The most important things you can do to lower your risk of infection are—

• Wash your hands often, and ask your family, visitors, and health care providers to wash theirs, too.
• Get a flu shot every year, and encourage your family and friends to get one. Ask your doctor if you need a pneumococcal shot.
• Call your doctor right away if you notice any signs of an infection, especially a fever..."
  Cancer treatment