Side effects of cancer treatment - Uncancer

There are several side effects cancer treatments and cancer can cause. When treatment affects healthy tissues or organs, side effects are unavoidable. These can be different for each person and for different medicines and kinds of treatment. Long-term side effects are rare in modern chemotherapy. Following are common side effects of cancer treatment:

Nausea & Vomiting

Nausea and vomiting are very common side effects that can be caused by chemotherapy. They go away slowly during the recovery phase of the chemo cycle or after the end of treatment. Presumably, doctors prescribe medications to manage nausea and vomiting so this can be controlled.

Fatigue

Fatigue is another common side effect of chemotherapy. Some people notice that they feel a little more tired than usual during this post-chemo cycle. This fatigue goes away over time after treatment is finished.

Mental Health

Chemotherapy can affect mental health as some people may have a mild decline in the ability to think, learn, reason, and remember after chemotherapy. This condition is often called the chemo brain. It can take a few years to return to normal.

Hair loss

Chemotherapy can cause serious damage to hair follicles. It causes the hair to weaken, become brittle, and fall out. Even any hair that regrows after that may be of a different texture or color. This condition continues until the cancer treatment ends, after which hair almost always regrows.

Neuropathy

A nerve pain caused by damaged nerves is known as neuropathy. It causes tingling, numbness, and an unusual burning sensation to the hands and feet. Some people also experience weakness and pain during daily activities.

Mouth sores

After having a chemotherapy cycle, some people develop painful oral sore for 1-2 weeks. The sores may bleed or become infected and the soreness can vary in severity. Some people can try using non-abrasive toothpaste or numbing gel or rinse their mouth with warm saltwater.

Constipation and diarrhea

Cancer treatment like chemotherapy can trigger a bowel movement which causes constipation and diarrhea. Some people avoid foods that irritate the stomach. The diet includes fiber supplements and stool softener food which can make digestion smooth.

These are the common side effects of cancer treatment. If these side effects get worse then we suggest that you should rush to your doctor immediately.