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AFTER CANCER: AFTEREFFECTS INVOLVING THE GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM
What If My Appetite Is Hill Poor?
All the factors that affect appetite during cancer treatment can continue to affect it after treatment is completed, such as
• medications
• changes in the digestive system due to the cancer
• changes in the digestive system due to the treatments
• weakness
• infections
• impaired or altered sense of taste or smell
• depression and emotional stress
If My Appetite Is Poor, When Will It Return to Normal?
It can take many months for your appetite to return. You must take steps to evaluate your lack of appetite if
• you are not able to eat enough for healing
• you are losing weight or getting weaker
•you have pain in your mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, or rectum
• you have difficulty swallowing
•your stools are black, maroon, or bloody
What If It Hurts to Swallow?
Changes that make swallowing difficult or painful include
•irritation of the esophagus from radiation, chemotherapy, or acid reflux from the stomach
•infection of the esophagus, such as viral or fungal infections
• decreased saliva
• narrowing of the esophagus
• spasm of the muscles of the esophagus
What Is a Stricture of the Esophagus?
Months to years following radiation to the chest, some patients develop scarring of the esophagus that causes the opening to be narrowed. This narrowing, or stricture, makes it difficult to swallow solids. The narrowed esophagus can be dilated, or stretched, fairly easily.
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