Other Chemotherapy Side Effects
Chemotherapy often produces other side effects. Side effects occur because most cancer treatments cannot distinguish between cancer cells and normal, healthy cells. For example, chemotherapy damages rapidly dividing cells, a hallmark of cancer cells. In the process, healthy cells that are also rapidly dividing, such as blood cells and the cells lining the mouth and gastrointestinal tract, are also damaged.1
There is no way to tell who will have side effects or what side effects they may have. Talk to your doctor about the side effects you may potentially develop from your cancer treatment.
Side effects of treatment cause inconvenience, discomfort, serious illness and occasionally may even be fatal. Additionally, side effects may also prevent doctors from delivering the prescribed dose of therapy at the specific time and schedule decided in the treatment plan.
It is important that you understand and monitor for side effects from your cancer treatment so you can help your doctor manage them.
Managing side effects can help you receive your full dose of cancer treatment on time.2
In the rest of this section you can learn more about the following side effects and how to manage them:
Sometimes side effects signal a serious problem. Find out when to call your doctor about chemotherapy side effects.
1. What are the possible side effects of chemotherapy? American Cancer Society website. Updated June 17, 2009. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_1_4X_What
_Are_The_Side_Effects_of_Chemotherapy.asp?sitearea=ETO. Accessed June 4, 2010.
2. Khan S, Dhadda A, Fyfe D, Sundar S. Impact of neutropenia on delivering planned chemotherapy for solid tumours. Eur J Cancer Care. 2008;17:19—25.
Understanding Cancer –
Chemotherapy Side Effects –
Treating Cancer in Other Ways
Tracking Your Test Results –
Understanding Insurance and Tax Issues
Chemotherapy Resources and Organizations –
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