Chemotherapy reaction rare in patients
When former Education and Human Services dean Karen Adams died Tuesday of breast cancer, it took the campus by surprise.
Officials said her death was caused by an allergic reaction to the chemotherapy treatment, and it was unlikely to happen.
"It is a rare complication. It's unclear to me whether that is indeed what happened," said David Howell, a doctor Central Michigan Community Hospital.
Chemotherapy can be administered through the mouth, but more often it goes through the veins, Howell said.
Chemotherapy works in a way that the medication can alter the cancer cells, he said, so they can survive or reproduce.
An allergic reaction to chemotherapy is very rare, Howell said. Certain medications can affect certain aspects of the circulatory system or immune system that the body has a hard time controlling, resulting in an allergic reaction.
"They generally can be taken care of in a quick action so nothing fatal happens," Howell said. "The risk of having an allergic reaction is less than one in 100."
And the risk of having a fatal allergic reaction is even less, he said.
Howell said early prevention for any cancer is important.
In 2008, more than 1.4 million new cases of cancer were reported in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
In the case of breast cancer, it is recommended that women get mammograms on a regular basis starting at the age of 40, he said.
"The next best thing is to try to detect (cancer) as early as possible," Howell said.
One in every 220 people will get breast cancer by the age of 40 and one in every 50 will get it by the age of 50, Howell said.
Recognizing possible warning signs of cancer and taking quick action can lead to early diagnosis, according to the World Health Organization Web site. Early signs include lumps, sores that fail to heal, abnormal bleeding, persistent indigestion and chronic hoarseness, according to the Web site.
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