Chemotherapy drugs reduce the number of white blood cells produced by the body. The white blood cell count will be checked regularly during chemotherapy. If the white blood cell count drops, this will usually happen 1–2 weeks after treatment. Women with a low white blood cell count may be at increased risk of developing an infection.
Signs of a severe, life-threatening infection may include:
- fever (a temperature higher than 38ºC)
- chills
- severe sweats.
If these symptoms develop, immediate medical advice should be sought as treatment with strong antibiotics may be required. |
Other symptoms of infection include:
- loose bowels
- a burning sensation during urination
- severe cough or sore throat
- unusual vaginal discharge or itching
- redness, swelling or tenderness around a wound, sore, pimple, boil, or the site where the chemotherapy drip was inserted.
Infections during chemotherapy can be treated effectively with antibiotics.
