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

	Asked by sanderson (Male ) on Mon 07, Apr 2008 01:39pm :
	My father has been taking chemo for his colon cancer for 6 weeks now and seemed to be feeling much better, but this week he is off of taking it and is having alot of pain around his intestinal area. Is this common?
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	Answer by Dr Fernando, MD (oncologist) on Mon 07, Apr 2008 07:35pm: 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). Thank you for using our service.  If you are satisfied with the answer or if you want a detailed answer for your question, please make a donation and request for further clarifications.  Our oncologists will provide an elaborate answer for your clarification.   Please make a donation by clicking the button below. You may donate using funds from your PayPal account or Credit Card. Please rate my answer (select the stars below, no need to log in.)
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