Constipation is a common problem for cancer patients. It may be a side effect of medications for cancer or cancer pain, or may be a result of other changes in the body (organ failure, decreased ability to move, and depression). Other causes of constipation include dehydration and not eating enough. Cancer, cancer treatment, aging, and declining health can all contribute to causing constipation.

Specifically, constipation is the slow movement of feces (stool or body wastes) through the large intestine, resulting in infrequent bowel movements and the passage of dry, hard stools. The longer it takes for the stool to move through the large intestine, the more fluid is absorbed and the drier and harder the stool becomes.

Inactivity, immobility, or physical and social barriers (for example, bathrooms being unavailable or inconveniently located) can make constipation worse. Depression and anxiety caused by cancer treatment or cancer pain can also lead to constipation. The most common causes of constipation, however, are not drinking enough fluids and taking pain medications.

(Common factors that may cause constipation in healthy people include eating a low-fiber diet, postponing visits to the toilet, using laxatives and enemas excessively, not drinking enough fluids, and exercising too little.)

The National Cancer Institute offers the following suggestions to help cancer patients cope with constipation:

• Keep a record of all bowel movements.
• Increase your fluid intake by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid each day (if not contraindicated by kidney or heart disease).
• Exercise regularly, including abdominal exercises in bed or moving from the bed to a chair if you have difficulty walking.
• Increase the amount of dietary fiber in your diet by eating more fruits (raisins, prunes, peaches, and apples), vegetables (squash, broccoli carrots, and celery), and whole grain cereals, breads, and bran. Keep in mind that you will need to drink more fluids when increasing dietary fiber or you may become constipated.
• Drink a warm or hot drink about one half-hour before your usual time for a bowel movement.
• Take only medications prescribed by your doctor.
• Do not use suppositories or enemas unless ordered by your doctor. In some cancer patients these treatments may lead to bleeding, infection, or other harmful side effects.

SOURCE:
National Cancer Institute (http://www.nci.nih.gov)