Final answer:
The three most common GI side effects of chemotherapy are nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, which are a result of the drugs impacting healthy cells in the GI tract. Medications like zofran and phenergan are often used to manage nausea associated with chemotherapy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Common Chemotherapeutic GI Side Effects
Chemotherapy, while a critical treatment for cancer, unfortunately carries a range of side effects due to its impact on rapidly dividing cells. Among the most common gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of chemotherapy are nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. These symptoms occur because the drugs also affect healthy cells in the GI tract that have a high turnover rate, alongside the targeted cancer cells. Nausea can lead to vomiting, while diarrhea and abdominal pain can be debilitating, leading to significant discomfort and the potential for dehydration.
In addition to these side effects, chemotherapy can cause loss of appetite, weight loss, and fatigue. To manage these GI side effects, medications such as zofran and phenergan may be prescribed to help with nausea. The goal of antiemetic medications is to improve the quality of life for patients undergoing treatment by alleviating some of the discomfort caused by these common side effects.