Fatigue
Fatigue in Mesothelioma Patients
Patients undergoing treatment for any type of cancer frequently experience fatigue. Mesothelioma is no exception. The causes are multiple and include not only the cancer itself but also the chemotherapy that is intended to treat the cancer. Chemotherapy, by its very design, kills not only cancerous cells but also non-cancerous cells, particularly those that reproduce rapidly, such as the bone marrow cells that produce blood cells and cells that line the gastrointestinal tract. Depletion of those cells not only keeps the body from functioning normally, but also taxes the body to replace the cells that were lost. All of this can result in fatigue.
Anna L. Kaplan, M.D.
