Colon cancer, stage #3 - Chemotherapy for Stage III colon cancer - Pain in intestinal area

Hi. What kind of chemotherapy regimen is your father taking? The usual cytotoxic drugs used for treating colon cancer are 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), Oxaliplatin or Irinotecan. These three medications can all cause some degree of gastrointestinal symptoms, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, but this is particularly true for 5FU and Irinotecan. The abdominal pain can be relieved by taking anti-spasmodics such as hyoscine butylbromide (Buscopan). For patients getting Irinotecan, the use of the drug loperamide can also help counteract abdominal cramping and diarrhea. The best thing to do is to have your father checked by the oncologist, specially if the pain has been persistent for a few days. Although that abdominal pain is most likely a side effect of the chemotherapy, some other possible conditions need to be ruled out, such as gut obstruction, or ileus (temporary paralysis of the bowels most often due to electrolyte imbalance).

Detailed answer for your question: Available in paid version. - Click to pay.
Second opinion from another doctor: Available in paid version. - Click to pay.