Intoxication of the body: signs of oncology, treatment

In the article, we consider the signs of intoxication in oncology.

Cancer intoxication is a symptom complex that develops in the human body against the background of malignant decay of tumor cells and causing impaired functionality of various organs and systems. Most often, intoxication occurs in people who have a malignant tumor, which is at the 3-4 stage of development. Its development is promoted by products that are secreted in the process of neoplasm metabolism and enter the bloodstream. In some cases, intoxication phenomena can occur during antitumor chemotherapy, as well as in the fight against metastases.

Symptoms and treatment of intoxication in oncology are interrelated.

This pathology is characterized by a sharp decrease in the functionality of the immune system and damage to almost all internal organs of the patient. As a result, the condition of the cancer patient is greatly deteriorating, in the absence of the necessary therapy, death can occur. It should be noted that therapy for oncological intoxication is exclusively symptomatic, that is, it can only alleviate the manifestations, but does not affect the course of the main (oncological) disease.

The signs of intoxication in oncology will be discussed below.

Reasons for the development of pathology

The cells of a malignant neoplasm constantly need to be fed with proteins, fats, saccharides. With intensive growth of the tumor, the vessels are not able to provide its full-fledged nutrition, due to which some of the cells of the formation begins to die. As a result, the lymph flow and bloodstream are filled with products resulting from the decay of the tumor.

Signs of intoxication of the body with intestinal oncology most often occur, as well as with cancer of the blood, brain, lungs, liver, and mammary gland. As a result of the chemotherapeutic effect, poisoning of the body occurs, as cancer cells begin to die, while throwing large amounts of potassium, phosphates, uric acid into the blood. This can cause kidney failure and other dangerous complications. Excessive concentration of phosphates leads to a decrease in the concentration of potassium, due to which the functionality of the kidneys and the system of vessels and heart of the patient is impaired. Poisoning usually occurs in the last stages of cancer, and therefore, such a complication often causes death.

Types of poisoning

By localization, tumor intoxication is classified into several types:

1. The total. In this case, the toxins secreted by the tumor affect a variety of organs and systems that are located in different parts of the body.
2. Local. Intoxication affects the organ or part of the body that is affected by toxins.

Also, intoxication is classified by severity:

1. Easy. Such intoxication is well treated, can pass on its own several days after the onset.
2. Medium. It is characterized by prolonged exposure to organs and systems, often accompanied by the occurrence of complications.
3. Heavy. It is a dangerous form of intoxication. In this case, all systems and organs are affected. The neoplasm begins to decay intensively, causing the death of the patient.

As a rule, in the last stages of the development of cancer, general severe poisoning develops with damage to the whole organism.

Stages of development

At the fourth stage of oncopathology, intoxication develops as follows:

1. The neoplasm begins to grow rapidly.
2. Blood supply is deteriorating due to the rapid growth of the tumor.
3. Part of the tumor cells begins to die due to a deficiency of nutrients for it.
4. The products of neoplasm metabolism begin to enter the bloodstream.
5. The metabolic processes begin to be disrupted.
6. Uric acid enters the renal canals, resulting in renal failure.
7. The body develops dehydration.
8. Due to impaired metabolism, the concentration of potassium increases and the calcium content decreases, which worsens the activity of the nervous and cardiac systems.
9. A severe form of anemia develops.
10. There is an infection of the body, sepsis develops, vital organs cease to function.
11. There is a lethal outcome.

After chemotherapeutic exposure, intoxication develops somewhat differently. Aggressive antitumor drugs cause death of the neoplasm, which leads to the release of decay products into the blood. This is precisely the reason for intoxication of the body. It is much easier to eliminate the poisoning that has arisen as a result of therapeutic effects than to treat intoxication that develops with the natural decay of the tumor.

Signs of intoxication in oncology

Cancer poisoning is characterized by a variety of symptoms, but they do not differ in specificity.

Asthenia is manifested in the form of:

1. Strong, growing weakness.
2. Fatigue that occurs even with light loads.
3. Mental disorders, for example, irritability, depression, apathy, and other similar disorders.

How is organism intoxication manifested in oncology? It may differ in external changes:

1. Loss of body weight, the development of severe exhaustion.
2. Increased sweating, especially at night.
3. Pallor of the skin, their blueness, yellowing.
4. Dry skin, mucous membranes.

The disease is accompanied by dyspeptic disorders, among them:

1. Constipation
2. Constant vomiting
3. Bouts of nausea.
4. Aversion to food that was previously loved.

What other symptoms of intoxication of the body with oncology are? Other signs, depending on the location of the tumor process, may be:

1. Thrombosis.
2. Arrhythmic phenomena.
3. Iron-deficiency anemia.
4. Permanent infectious lesions as a result of severe suppression of the immune system.
5. Soreness in the musculoskeletal structures.
6. Hyperthermia.

If signs of cancer poisoning occur, you should consult a doctor to undergo an examination for serious pathologies, including cancer.

Diagnosis of cancer intoxication

As a rule, a person’s cancer is diagnosed even before intoxication begins to develop. But in some situations, such a complication may become unexpected for the patient, since with rapidly growing and aggressive neoplasms, fatal poisoning can occur even before the neoplasm is detected. In such cases, the patient first visits the doctor, having already launched cancer pathology.

To establish a diagnosis, oncologists use laboratory and instrumental methods of research:

1. Laboratory studies of blood and urine samples (general clinical, biochemical, in order to identify tumor markers).
2. X-ray examination.
3. Ultrasound procedure.
4. MRI scan
5. Biopsy, subsequent histology of the obtained material.

Depending on where the neoplasm is located, the doctor may recommend other measures to diagnose pathology.

How to deal with intoxication in oncology?

Therapy

The therapeutic effect of cancer poisoning is primarily aimed at eliminating the tumor and stopping the process of decay of the neoplasm. If possible, the patient is prescribed surgery, during which the surgeon eliminates the foci of poisoning and metastases. In cases where surgical treatment is contraindicated, radiation and chemotherapeutic treatment is used. The treatment of cancer intoxication is aimed primarily at removing toxic substances from the body, reducing the severity of negative manifestations after chemotherapy, and correcting metabolism.

To stop symptoms, the following pharmacological agents are allowed:

1. Mental disorders medications.
2. Pain medication.
3. Vitamin complexes.
4. Antiemetic drugs.
5. Means that contribute to the normalization of intestinal activity.
6. Iron-based preparations.
7. Enterosorbents.

For intoxication, it is recommended to adhere to a milk-vegetable diet.

Forced diuresis

A similar treatment is used to thin the blood. Large quantities of glucose, albumin, sodium bicarbonate are administered intravenously to the patient. After the body is sufficiently filled with fluid, the patient is prescribed the use of diuretics. During such therapy, a specialist should monitor the functionality of the heart and lungs of the cancer patient.

Peritoneal dialysis

The patient in the abdomen makes small incisions through which drainages are installed in order to cleanse the body of toxins. On the first day of peritoneal dialysis, the patient is washed with drainage using at least 20 liters of water.

Enterosorption

To eliminate the poisoning factor in cancer poisoning, the patient is prescribed to take large doses of adsorbents. Such therapy lasts five days. In this case, dosages calculated on the basis of 1 g / 1 kg of the patient's body weight should be used.

What else is used to treat the symptoms and signs of cancer intoxication?

Detoxification

Detoxification is carried out if the person is in critical condition. Detoxification therapy for cancer involves the introduction of Reamberin to the patient. The active substance of this medication helps to eliminate signs of poisoning and tissue hypoxia. In addition, the medicine allows you to restore the water-electrolytic and acid balance.

Indirect Blood Oxidation Technique

In the case when the neoplasm affects several organs at once in the patient's body, he is shown intravenous administration of sodium hypochloride. The method of indirect blood oxidation allows you to get a good effect if the formation or its metastases have affected the liver, kidneys, pancreas.

Filtration methods, hemodialysis

The indicated technique is rarely used, as it is contraindicated in the last stages of the development of oncopathology. In addition, this therapeutic method can be applied only if the patient's blood concentration of bicarbonates is greatly reduced. Therapy of signs of intoxication in oncology involves connecting the patient to an artificial kidney apparatus. Thus, leaching of toxins from the body and replenishment of a lack of fluid occurs.

Hemosorption

This therapeutic method involves filtering the patient’s blood using a special device with a sorbent. The result of this effect is blood purification. Then the purified blood is again injected into the human body by the intravenous route. This technique is contraindicated in cases of impaired functionality of the system of vessels and the heart, multiple organ failure, severe hypotension, dehydration, and bleeding.

How much do they live with intoxication in oncology?

Prevention and Predictions

Due to the fact that cancer intoxication, as a rule, develops in the last stages of cancer, its prognosis in almost every case is not encouraging. Cancer patients often wonder how long they live with cancer intoxication. If timely treatment of this complication, the patient’s life can be increased by several months, and sometimes years. In no case should a person neglect the advice of a doctor and become depressed.

Be sure to be treated in a hospital, follow the recommended diet, a rational schedule of rest and work.

In order to prevent signs of intoxication of the body with intestinal oncology, it is recommended to monitor the content of electrolytes in the blood plasma, monitor the functionality of the kidneys and liver, periodically take blood samples for coagulation and hemoglobin testing. In case of cancer, it is possible to slow down the development of cancer poisoning by proper nutrition, the use of sufficient quantities of water, and timely bowel movement. Such recommendations are especially important in the treatment of chemical drugs.

With intoxication, death can cause complications such as sepsis, infections, thrombosis, cardiac arrest, and rapidly developing renal failure. Early diagnosis of the causes and symptoms of cancer intoxication and adequate therapy can not only extend, but also save the patient's life.