A 50-year-old man diagnosed with leukemia will begin chemotherapy. What would the nurse do to combat the most common adverse effects of chemotherapy?

Choice A reason: Nausea and vomiting are among the most prevalent and distressing acute side effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy. Antiemetics, such as serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonists, are often administered prophylactically to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), which can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and non-compliance with treatment. Choice B reason: Steroid creams are used for localized skin irritations but are not a standard intervention for systemic chemotherapy side effects. While some agents cause dermatological toxicity, the systemic nature of nausea and bone marrow suppression is far more common and clinically significant in the oncology population. Choice C reason: Prophylactic antibiotics may be used if the patient becomes neutropenic (low white blood cell count), but they are not the primary intervention to combat the most common immediate side effect. Antibiotics treat secondary infections rather than the direct pharmacological side effects of the chemotherapy drugs themselves. Choice D reason: Anticoagulants are used to prevent or treat thrombosis. While cancer patients are at an increased risk for hypercoagulability, chemotherapy often causes thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), which would make the administration of anticoagulants potentially dangerous due to the significantly increased risk of spontaneous or internal hemorrhage.