Toxicities with systemic anti-cancer therapy

The Oncology Online Quality System (OOQS) provides up-to-date quality-controlled Edinburgh Cancer Centre documentation, including Clinical Management Guidelines by tumour group, SACT lists and procedures. OOQS includes guidelines for managing conditions associated with malignancy and treatment related side-effects.

Common side-effects of cytotoxic drugs include fatigue, reversible alopecia, nausea and vomiting, oral ulceration, diarrhoea, skin rashes, bone marrow suppression and fertility effects. Possible effects on fertility and gonadal function must be discussed before treatment begins. The summary of product characteristics (SPC) should be referred to for details on specific side-effects of each drug. Patients experiencing treatment related toxicities will be managed via the telephone triage system (NHS Lothian intranet) operating in the ECC. Haematology patients are advised to contact local haematology departments for advice.

Refer to recommendations for the treatment of Neutropenia in the Nutrition and Blood chapter for the recommended formulary choices.

OOQS: SACT or SACT Toxicity (intranet) OOQS: Systemic Anticancer Therapy (intranet) OOQS: Tumour Site (intranet)