This extract from 'Food Matters: The Role Your Diet Plays in the Fight Against Cancer,' written by Dr Shubham Pant examines how to deal with constipation, a frequent side effect of cancer.
Constipation is a frequent side effect in cancer patients and is a source of great discomfort and can lead to belly pain, swelling, bloating, gas, and even nausea. In general, constipation occurs as the stool takes a longer time to travel through the large intestine (also known as the colon) which allows more water to be absorbed, leading to hard, dry stool. Interestingly, one can have constipation and diarrhoea at the same time as liquid stool can pass behind the obstructing, solid stool. Medicines like morphine (which belongs to a class of medicines called opioids) bind to receptors in the gastrointestinal system and slow down the transit time in the gut, leading to constipation. As with anything in life, it pays to be proactive as it is easier to prevent constipation than to treat it once it has occurred. Below are a few recommendations that can help with constipation:
Diarrhoea is, unfortunately, another side effect which is just as problematic as constipation. It can be a consequence of cancer therapy like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation or even surgery if some parts of the gut are removed. Patients can also develop diarrhoea if they get infections or if the cancer itself secretes hormones. For example, a disease called the carcinoid syndrome is a serious problem as patients can become dehydrated and have electrolyte abnormalities like low potassium in the blood. The tips below may be helpful for management of diarrhoea:
(Dr Shubham Pant is a graduate from Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, who is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics and the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. This is his first book)