What is considered the most common dose-limiting toxicity of chemotherapy?

Myelosuppression is recognized as the most common dose-limiting toxicity associated with chemotherapy. This condition refers to the decreased production of blood cells due to the effects of chemotherapy on the bone marrow, which can lead to a range of complications, including anemia, increased risk of infection, and bleeding disorders. The impact of myelosuppression is significant because it can necessitate dose reductions or delays in treatment, thereby affecting the overall effectiveness of cancer therapy.

While nausea, fatigue, and neuropathy are important side effects of chemotherapy, they do not typically limit the dose of chemotherapy in the same way that myelosuppression does. Nausea can often be managed with antiemetics, fatigue is generally a common experience but does not usually influence treatment administration directly, and neuropathy may require adjustments in specific cases but is not as universally limiting. Thus, myelosuppression stands out as the primary concern that affects the dosing and scheduling of chemotherapy regimens across a wide range of cancer treatments.