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 the medical use of these chemical agents. Despite these high
 risks, all of these drugs are considered _safe _ for use under
 medical supervision°
 14. It is standard practice i_ Oncology to recommend to
 pregnant women who must be treated with any of these agents
 that they consider the very real likelihood of serious fetal
 damage. Abortion is usually recommended under such conditions.
 15. Perhaps the most common, and most noticed adverse_
 effect produced by all of these chemotherapeutic agents is the
 profound nausea and vomiting which results after they are
 ....
 administered. The vomiting may be intense_ protracted ands in
 some instances, life-threatening. Following this intense
 period of vomitlng _- which may last for 48 to 72 hours or more
 -_ the patient may experience mild to severe nausea for days,
 or weeks_
 16. Many reports indicate that up to a third of the
 patients who receive chemotherapy decide to abandon this form
 of potentially life=prolonging treatment because of the severe
 nausea and vomiting produced by these drugs.
 ...... 17. For those patients who continue therapy_ despite
 these adverse effectsw chemotherapy can become a living hell.
 Certainly, the quality of a patient's llfe is dramatically
 affected by the uncontrollable vomiting and severe nausea.
 18. This combination of vomiting and nausea may also
 result in a sudden_ dramatic loss of weight° As cancer
 patients lose weight, they become weaker and less able to fight
 _helr diseases
 --5--
 .......... !




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