Side Effects of Chemotherapy
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The goal of many anticancer treatments, including chemotherapy, is to destroy fast-growing cells. However, cancer cells are not the only cell types that grow rapidly. As a result, healthy cells may also be affected by chemotherapy. When these healthy cells are affected, side effects can occur. Some of the most common side effects of chemotherapy include hair loss, fatigue, digestive problems, and reproductive problems.
Although normal cells can be impacted during chemotherapy, most of these cells will gradually recover after the chemotherapy treatment is completed. As a result, most people will experience no serious long-term side effects of chemotherapy treatment. However, some of the potential long-term side effects include changes or damage to the lungs, heart, nerves, kidneys, and other organs.
Other short-term side effects of chemotherapy may include:
- Loss of appetite/taste
- Bleeding/clotting
- Low blood counts
- Problems chewing/swallowing
- Cognition/memory problems
- Infection
- Mouth sores/dry mouth
- Nausea/vomiting
- Nerve damage
- Pain
- Physical changes/muscle wasting
- Sleep disturbances
- Swelling/lymphedema
Cancer treatment affects everyone differently. As a result, the side effects and the severity of the side effects you experience over the course of your journey may differ from what other cancer patients experience. In addition, factors such as the type and stage of the cancer, the treatments you receive and your overall health can influence the potential chemotherapy side effects you may experience.
Minimizing the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Minimizing the side effects of chemotherapy during treatment is important to help you stay strong and focused on your healing. It also allows you to continue your treatment regime with minimal interruptions. In addition, at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we understand that if you experience chemotherapy side effects, it can affect your overall quality of life. That is why we work with you to help you manage any side effects you experience.
From providing leading-edge treatments to helping you manage the side effects of chemotherapy and other conventional treatments, Cancer Treatment Centers of America is committed to providing the Mother Standard® of care. This means that we are driven to provide our patients with the kind of care we would want for our own family members. To learn more, please call us at 1-800-615-3055 and speak with one of our Oncology Information Specialists. You can also chat with us online.
