Cancer treatment: side effects

Most cancer treatments have side effects that can make a person sick while undergoing the treatment. However, not every person having treatment for cancer will experience side effects. These side effects may last for a period of time after treatment has ended. Most side effects disappear with time.

Cancer treatments that produce side effects include:

• surgery
• chemotherapy
• radiation and
• immunotherapy

Most symptoms caused by side effects from cancer treatments can be relieved and managed.

Surgery: Patients having surgery may experience side effects that include infection and bleeding. In addition, there is a small risk that a person undergoing cancer surgery may die because of the use of anesthesia during surgery.

Radiation: Common side effects for radiation therapy include:

• fatigue
• loss of appetite and
• skin changes that make the skin dry, flaky, blistering, or weepy

Other side effects are caused by the dose of radiation received or related to the part of the body that receives the radiation. For example, patients receiving radiation to the stomach area may experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

To help relieve fatigue caused by radiation treatment:

• limit your activities
• nap during the day and get plenty of sleep at night
• shorten your working hours or take time off
• have someone drive you to and from treatments
• have someone help you with more strenuous daily activities, like grocery shopping and housework
• include plenty of complex carbohydrates (such as grains and vegetables) in your diet for long-term energy

To help relieve skin problems caused by radiation treatment:

• avoid tight or scratchy clothing that irritates the skin
• use lukewarm water and mild soap for bathing
• avoid being in the sun and wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher on exposed areas of the body and
• do not use any powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, body oils, ointments or lotions without first checking with your healthcare provider or nurse (doing so may interfere with your radiation treatment)

Call your healthcare provider if you have any kind of skin reaction during or after cancer treatment.

If you experience loss of appetite caused by radiation treatment:

• eat frequent small meals
• snack between meals
• add extra protein to your diet by eating more beans, cheese, meat, fish, and nuts
• use nutritional supplements as directed by your healthcare provider and
• have a friend or family member prepare food if cooking odors bother you

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells. In doing so, it also kills normal cells, especially in the hair follicles, bone marrow, and mucous membranes of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.

The effect of the chemotherapy on these normal cells is what produces side effects such as:

• low white blood cell counts
• hair loss
• mouth sores
• nausea and vomiting and
• diarrhea or constipation

A low white blood cell count means that the number of white blood cells in the blood is lower than normal. This makes the body less able to fight infection and disease. symptoms of having a low white blood cell count include:

• a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
• chills
• sweating (especially at night)
• a severe cough or sore throat
• burning during urination and
• loose bowels that are mushy, unformed, watery, or looser than normal

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms immediately after cancer treatment, call your healthcare provider for advice. You may require some medical help until your white blood cell count is back to normal.

For hair loss, the use of wigs and scarves is recommended if the cancer patient feels uncomfortable exposing his or her baldinunit of the American Cancer Society.

Also, there are programs that teach cancer patients how to enhance their appearance during treatment. "Look Good, Feel Better" is one of these programs and is sponsored by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, And Fragrance Association; the American Cancer Society; and the National Cosmetics Association. These programs deal with overall appearance, not just hair loss. For more information, contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society.

To reduce nausea and vomiting:

• eat small meals throughout the day
• avoid sweets and fried or fatty foods
• eat food heated to room temperature, rather than food that is very hot or cold
• eat slowly, and chew food well
• eat dry foods like toast or crackers to help ease an upset stomach
• avoid food odors that increase the nausea and
• drink cool, unsweetened and non-carbonated beverages like apple juice or flat ginger ale

To help relieve diarrhea:

• change to a clear liquid diet
• drink plenty of fluids, such as apple juice and flat sodas to replace fluids lost and
• avoid milk and dairy products if they make the diarrhea worse

As you get better, eat foods that are low in fiber, like rice, bananas, applesauce, mashed potatoes, dry toast, and crackers. Avoid foods that cause cramps, such as coffee, beans, cabbage, highly spiced foods, and sweets.If diarrhea lasts for more than 24 hours, call your healthcare provider for advice.

If you are constipated:

• drink plenty of liquids to help loosen the bowels
• add high fiber foods to your diet like fruits, vegetables, bran, and whole grain breads
• if a stool softener is necessary, use only that which is prescribed by your healthcare provider

Immunotherapy: Side effects from immunotherapy are closely monitored and treated in a controlled environment. Symptoms may include:

• flu-like symptoms
• a reaction at the injection site
• rash
• a drop in blood pressure and
• difficulty breathing

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File CANC4288.RF2 VRS# 4288 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 2000, 2002 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.