Blood in the stool may be caused by irritation when moving the bowels. It can also be caused by straining very hard, by an ulcer or a tumor in the bowel, by hemorrhoids (enlarged blood vessels in or around the anus), or by a low platelet count. What to look for Blood on toilet tissue […]
Category Archives: Dealing with Patient
When the thought process is disturbed, or when a person has trouble thinking and acting like they normally do, they may be confused. Many things can cause confusion, including: Low blood sugar Infection High fever Cancer spread into the brain Cancer in the fluid around the brain Lack of oxygen to the brain Anemia Too […]
Cancer and cancer treatments can lower the number of platelets in your blood. Platelets are cells that help your blood clot, so you stop bleeding. A normal platelet (PLT) count on a blood test is about 150,000 to 450,000. Normal clotting is still possible with a platelet count of 100,000. The danger of serious bleeding […]
A person with a poor appetite or no appetite may eat much less than normal or may not eat at all. A poor appetite can be caused by a changed sense of taste or smell, feeling full, tumor growth, dehydration (see the section called “Fluids (lack of) and dehydration”), or the side effects of treatment. A poor […]
Anxiety (a feeling of worry or unease), fear, uncertainty, anger, and sadness are common feelings that patients and families sometimes have when coping with cancer. They are normal responses to the many stresses of cancer. You may have trouble with your family duties and the loss of control over events in your life. Changes in […]
Anemia is a condition caused by a low hemoglobin level in the blood. It’s common during cancer treatment. On a blood test, the hemoglobin percentage measures the ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen. For men: A normal hemoglobin range is about 13.5 to 16. For women: A normal hemoglobin range is about 12 […]
