Colon cancer develops when any of the cell types within the colon develop genetic mutations that allow the cells to proliferate out of control and form tumors. The National Cancer Institute states that cancer of the colon or rectum accounted for 146,970 new cancer diagnoses and 49,920 deaths in the United States in 2009. Colon cancer is commonly treated with chemotherapy drugs that target and kill cancer cells. Since many chemotherapeutic agents are not selective for cancer cells, they also target certain healthy cells throughout the body, leading to a number of unpleasant or harmful side effects.
Bleeding Disorders
The cells of the blood are created from a small population of stem cells within the bone marrow. These stem cells continually divide to give rise to mature blood cells, including cells called platelets. Platelets circulate in the blood and they function to allow blood clotting. When a wound occurs, platelets begin to aggregate to form a scab and stop the bleeding. The number of platelets in the blood determines how easily blood clots, and low platelet counts means the blood cannot clot efficiently. Chemotherapy from colon cancer reduces the number of platelets in the blood, which can lead to bleeding disorders. For instance, the University of Pennsylvania reports that patients taking a course of chemotherapy for colon cancer often experience easy bruising and bleeding, such as bleeding from the gums. If platelet counts become extremely low, the chemotherapy treatment may be put on hold to allow the blood to recover.
Mouth Ulcers
Patients taking a course of chemotherapy to treat colon cancer may notice skin problems within the mouth, leading to mouth ulcers. Mouth ulcers occur when the mucosal layer that lines the mouth becomes damaged, causing open sores. Under normal conditions, the mucosal lining is continually maintained and renewed by a population of dividing cells. In chemotherapy, these cells are targeted by the treatment along with cancer cells, so the mouth becomes vulnerable to sores.
Patients can take a number of drugs during chemotherapy, such as Palifermin, to reduce the frequency and severity of mouth ulcers. The National Cancer Institute reports that patients taking Palifermin in conjunction with chemotherapy experienced less severe mouth sores, and were more likely to complete chemotherapy treatment.
Neutropenia
Neutropenia, a decrease in circulating white blood cells in the blood, is another common side effect in patients undergoing chemotherapy to treat colon cancer. White blood cells arise from the same population of bone marrow stem cells as platelets, so chemotherapy that reduces platelet counts also reduces white blood cell counts. Since white blood cells help make up the immune system, colon cancer patients receiving chemotherapy may become immunodeficient and vulnerable to infections. Drugs such as Neulasta can be used to increase white blood cell counts in patients receiving chemotherapy for colon cancer, according to CancerConsultants.com. A single dose of Neulasta every two weeks during chemotherapy reduces the incidence of neutropenia in colon cancer patients, to allow for completion of chemotherapy.
