One of the most important side effects of many chemotherapy drugs is lowering of the blood counts. Biological therapy uses materials made by the body itself or made synthetically in a laboratory to boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against disease. The type and extent of side effects vary, depending on the particular treatment involved, its duration, and its dose. During cancer treatment, some patients lose their appetite and find it hard to eat well. In addition, the common side effects of treatment, such as nausea, vomiting, or mouth sores, can make it difficult to eat.
Some patients find that the taste of foods is different.
Others may not feel like eating when they are uncomfortable or tired. Every successful cancer treatment being used today was tested in a clinical trial, a three-step research process designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new treatments for diseases. Clinical trials are conducted at after a long process of developing and testing new therapies in the laboratory. Patients who participate in successful trials are the first to benefit from the new therapy. Doctors in many hospitals and cancer centers across the country conduct clinical trials as new drugs and other therapies become available for treating cancer patients.