European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

CLINICAL IMPACT OF CHEMOTHERAPY ON BLOOD CELL PARAMETERS IN KASHMIR CANCER PATIENTS

Zeeqad Zehra*, Dr. Pankaj Kaul, K. S. Rana

ABSTRACT

Cancer treatments continue to be the backbone of cancer care, but the harmful side effect of chemotherapy is systemic harm to the bone marrow and can cause myelosuppression that can result in anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Myelosuppression is one of the most common and dangerous adverse reactions to cancer treatment; it often results in treatment interruptions, dose reduction, and an increase in morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the long-term effects of chemotherapy on the hematologic profile of patients who received cancer treatment in the Kashmir region and identified the frequency, severity, and factors that contribute to chemotherapy induced cytopenias. The study involved serial analysis of complete blood counts taken at different times during treatment to identify changes in the hematologic parameters, including Red Blood Cell Indices, Hemoglobin Concentration, White Blood Cells, Neutrophils, and Platelets. The chemotherapeutic drugs evaluated for their hematologic toxicity included the commonly used chemotherapeutic drug classes, i.e., Alkylating Agents, Antimetabolites, Platinum Compounds, Anthracyclines, and Taxanes. The study found that the occurrence of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression was both high and regimen-dependent with nadir values typically being observed between days 7-14 of each cycle of treatment. Neutropenia was identified as the earliest and clinically most relevant cytopenia due to its association with febrile neutropenia and the subsequent development of infections, while anemia and thrombocytopenia were identified as contributing to patient fatigue, transfusion dependency, and bleeding risks, respectively. The degree of cytopenia was found to be influenced by the patients' pre-treatment bone marrow reserve, nutritional status, tumor type, and total cumulative exposure to chemotherapy. The use of supportive therapies such as G-CSF therapy and blood product transfusions was variable based upon the clinical requirements and availability of resources, indicating the need for the establishment of regionally appropriate management protocols.

Keywords: Chemotherapy-induced cytopenias, Haematological toxicity, Myelosuppression, Cancer patients, Kashmir region.