Editing Chemotherapy (section)

=== Gastrointestinal distress ===
[[Nausea]], [[vomiting]], [[Anorexia (symptom)|anorexia]], [[diarrhea]], abdominal cramps, and [[constipation]] are common side-effects of chemotherapeutic medications that kill fast-dividing cells.<ref name="pmid">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gibson RJ, Keefe DM | title = Cancer chemotherapy-induced diarrhoea and constipation: mechanisms of damage and prevention strategies | journal = Supportive Care in Cancer | volume = 14 | issue = 9 | pages = 890–900 | date = September 2006 | pmid = 16604351 | doi = 10.1007/s00520-006-0040-y | s2cid = 109778 }}</ref> [[Malnutrition]] and [[dehydration]] can result when the recipient does not eat or drink enough, or when the person vomits frequently, because of gastrointestinal damage. This can result in rapid weight loss, or occasionally in weight gain, if the person eats too much in an effort to allay nausea or heartburn. Weight gain can also be caused by some steroid medications. These side-effects can frequently be reduced or eliminated with [[antiemetic]] drugs. Low-certainty evidence also suggests that probiotics may have a preventative and treatment effect of diarrhoea related to chemotherapy alone and with radiotherapy.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wei D, Heus P, van de Wetering FT, van Tienhoven G, Verleye L, Scholten RJ | title = Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy- or radiotherapy-related diarrhoea in people with cancer | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2018 | pages = CD008831 | date = August 2018 | issue = 8 | pmid = 30168576 | pmc = 6513393 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.cd008831.pub3 }}</ref> However, a high index of suspicion is appropriate, since diarrhoea and bloating are also symptoms of [[typhlitis]], a very serious and potentially life-threatening [[medical emergency]] that requires immediate treatment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rodrigues |first1=Fabio G |last2=Dasilva |first2=Giovanna |last3=Wexner |first3=Steven D |date=2017-01-07 |title=Neutropenic enterocolitis |journal=World Journal of Gastroenterology |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=42–47 |doi=10.3748/wjg.v23.i1.42 |issn=1007-9327 |pmc=5221285 |pmid=28104979 |doi-access=free }}</ref>