vThrombocytopenia
The presence of thrombocytopenia, or low platelet counts, and other types of low blood counts means that a physician should not start chemotherapy until those conditions have been corrected. Medications or transfusions may help increase blood cell levels. Chemotherapy drugs themselves can cause low blood counts, as well, so any pre-existing blood count issues need to be managed before treatment initiation, as noted in the 2005 textbook "Juta's Manual of Nursing."
Liver or Kidney Impairment
Since most chemotherapy drugs are metabolized by either the liver or kidneys, liver or kidney impairment or failure can be a contraindication to chemotherapy, "Juta's Manual of Nursing" reports. Severe impairment of function of either of these organs prohibits the use of chemotherapy. However, some drugs can be given in patients with decreased liver or kidney function, but the dosage needs to be adjusted for the amount of function that is present. If the liver or kidney failure is due to a temporary condition, the physician could manage the immediate causes and then begin chemotherapy.
Recent Surgery
Chemotherapy can interfere with the healing of any wounds, so generally recent surgery is a contraindication to chemotherapy. Once the surgical wound has healed, the physician can start to treat with chemotherapy, according to "Juta's Manual of Nursing."
Infection
Any ongoing infection is a contraindication to chemotherapy, as noted in "Juta's Manual of Nursing." Chemotherapy lowers blood cell counts so that the body would have a difficult time fighting the infection. Overwhelming sepsis could occur, which would pose a more immediate risk to the patient than the cancer. Once the infection is treated, the chemotherapy treatment can be started.