Cancer Patients Warning: Use Antibiotics Wisely

Antibiotics are an essential tool for fighting infection, especially in cancer patients who may have a weakened immune system. But like any other tool, it can lose its advantage and effect if it is overused. “In the case of a cancer patient, we have to be very careful, because he is immunosuppressed,” says Machiael Chowdhury, MD, chief of infectious diseases at Cancer Treatment Centers of America. ^® (CTCA). “They need antibiotics, but you don’t want to lose that battle. You have to keep your antibiotic tool very sharp. To keep that tool sharp you have to make sure you are using the right antibiotic at the right time.” “

world problem

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers antibiotic-resistant bacteria to be the “world’s most pressing public health problem.” Antibiotics can be abused in up to half of the cases in which they are prescribed, according to the CDC. This includes unnecessary use and/or prescription of the antibiotic, and the wrong dose or duration. Oftentimes, says Dr. Choudary, antibiotics are prescribed for the common cold or even the flu, which can be caused by viruses rather than bacteria. “When you use antibiotics, there are consequences,” he says. “We live with insects. We live with bacteria. We live with viruses. So we have to be smart about how we use antibiotics. Like the common cold, this happens. It seems, sometimes, that we use antibiotics for everything.”

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections can cause serious problems for a cancer patient, who may already have a weakened immune system. Chemotherapy can cause neutropenia, which is a decrease in white blood cells that help fight infections and viruses. Radiation therapy can damage the skin and cause irritation and cuts. Immunotherapy drugs or targeted therapy can cause side effects that can lead to infection. Incisions from surgery or from inserting ports or catheters can be susceptible to infection. Immunosuppressed patients can be exposed to bacteria carried by visitors, by lying on tables, doorknobs, or elsewhere in their environment. “Cancer patients are often both in and out of hospitals and healthcare settings,” says Dr. Choudary. “They could be exposed to pathogens and then transmit those pathogens to each other.” Each year, about 60,000 cancer patients are hospitalized with the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “If the infection is not treated well, you may not be ready for another round of chemotherapy or radiation,” Dr. Chaudhry says.

Key target antibiotics

It is important for doctors to determine the cause of the infection so that they can prescribe a specific and limited set of antibiotics. “It is not necessary to affect the organism that is not causing the infection,” says Dr. Choudary. “If that happens, those beings can become needlessly resistant.” He also urges patients to take their medication as prescribed and take the whole treatment, even if they feel better. Do not drink alcohol while taking antibiotics, and consider whether the antibiotic can be taken with or without food.

One way to avoid the need for antibiotics is to practice good hygiene, which can prevent infection in the first place. Wash your hands often and ask your doctors to do the same. Also get enough sleep, avoid big crowds, stay hydrated, eat well, and don’t share food, drinks or utensils. “Prevention is always the best approach,” says Dr. Choudary.