Cancer and its treatment both are known to cause bladder problems. The problem is common in patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy or bowel cancer treatment. Bowel and bladder problems may also arise from medicines taken for cancer.
Radiation therapy to the pelvis is known to irritate the colon, rectum, and urinary bladder. Certain chemotherapy damages the cells of the bladder and the kidneys.
Some of the common problems related to bladder and bowel occurring due to cancer and cancer treatment are diarrhea, constipation, urine retention, and bladder and bowel incontinence. Th
It occurs due to less amount of fluid in the digestive system or due to less bowel movement. This results in the slow passage of stool from the body. Some cancer patients are at a high risk of constipation if there is a tumor in the pelvis.
Urine retention is a result of tumors, medication, a dehydrated body, or constipation. Your cancer healthcare provider might recommend bladder ultrasound, CT scans, urodynamic tests, cystoscopy, or electromyography.
Men and women both suffer from bladder and bowel incontinence. The problem might arise during or after cancer treatment.
Bladder incontinence might result from pressure of a tumor in the bladder or spine, weakening of the bladder muscles, radiation on the pelvis, urinary tract infection, prostate cancer, prostate surgery, etc.
Bowel incontinence is a result of weak pelvic muscles. It occurs as a result of certain medical conditions, muscle injury, trauma, radiation therapy, etc.
There is no specific treatment but consulting your healthcare provider can help you deal with bladder and bowel incontinence
The frequent passage of loose watery stool is diarrhea.
Diarrhea occurs when the water in the colon is not absorbed. It is also caused due to the excess intestinal fluid around a tumor or a hard stool.
Common causes of diarrhea are – chemotherapy, radiation therapy in the pelvis, immunotherapy, and certain medicines. A weak immune system due to cancer makes a body vulnerable to infections and causes diarrhea too.
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