Chemo belly describes a set of symptoms that can occur after a cancer patient receives chemotherapy. This common treatment can cause pain and discomfort in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. For some patients, these side effects come with a bloated abdomen.
Chemo belly often goes away on its own after treatment. But mesothelioma patients do not need to just live with the discomfort. Keep reading to learn what causes chemo belly and how you can work with your doctor to manage it.
Why Does Chemotherapy Cause Chemo Belly Symptoms?
Some cancers can trigger the same symptoms as chemo belly. Peritoneal mesothelioma commonly causes belly pain and swelling. But chemo can cause or worsen these same symptoms.
Chemotherapy drugs kill fast-growing cancer cells. But some healthy cells are also fast-growing, and the drugs can’t tell the difference. Damage to healthy, fast-growing cells in the GI tract can contribute to chemo belly.
Specifically, chemotherapy can cause the following issues, which may result in chemo belly symptoms:
- Changes in digestion speed: Chemo can affect the ability of the digestive muscles to contract. Contractions might become too fast, leading to cramping and diarrhea. Or they may become too slow, which can lead to constipation and gas.
- Changes to the gut microbiome: Chemo can alter the natural bacterial flora in the intestines. Changes to this gut microbiome can affect digestion and lead to inflammation.
For many people, chemo belly goes away on its own after cancer treatment ends. But it may persist for months or years afterward. And in fact, experts have identified underreporting of GI problems as a pattern among cancer patients. This means chemo belly may be more common or chronic than previously thought.
What Does Chemo Belly Look and Feel Like?
People experiencing GI-related side effects from chemo may develop a distended or inflated abdomen. This inflation is the result of gas and bloating (fluid retention) within the GI tract. The bloating itself can create feelings of fullness, discomfort and pain. Chemo belly may also cause diarrhea, constipation and cramps.
All chemo belly symptoms can be uncomfortable and get in the way of a patient’s quality of life. If you’re experiencing chemo belly, you can talk to your doctor about managing it.
How Do Doctors Manage Chemo Belly?
If you have chemo belly, you do not need to simply wait until the symptoms go away. Symptom management is an essential part of any cancer treatment plan. Interventions that may help alleviate chemo belly include:
- Changing eating and meal habits: Eating and drinking slowly may help. You can also try having several small meals throughout the day instead of a few big ones.
- Exercising: Mild exercise may help relieve bloating and gas. Your doctor may suggest activities like walking or Tai Chi.
- Modifying nutrition: Nutritional adjustments may help alleviate chemo belly. Possibly helpful changes include avoiding high-fat foods, carbonated drinks and high-lactose dairy products.
- Taking medication: Certain medications, like antacids and Lactaid®, may help alleviate chemo belly symptoms. Patients should talk to a doctor before taking any new medications to make sure they are safe to use with their cancer treatments.
Managing symptoms can be complicated. For example, reducing gas-producing fruits and vegetables in your diet may help with bloating, but these foods can help maintain overall health during cancer treatment. Your healthcare team can help navigate the complexities of managing chemo belly without negatively affecting other aspects of your treatment plan.
