Chemotherapy: Side Effects

Every person reacts differently to chemotherapy and different drugs cause different side effects.

The severity of side effects varies greatly from person to person.  Many patients have few or no side effects. No one can predict who will and who will not. You may be among those who have few problems. How you react to the chemotherapy has no relationship to whether or not it is helping you.

Side effects from chemotherapy depend on the type of drug, how much is used, how often it is given and for how long. Side effects can include short-term hair loss, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting, to name a few.

Although side effects can be unpleasant, they must be measured against the need to eliminate the cancer from your body or at least to limit it.

There are medications and other steps to take to prevent or lessen side effects. Two common methods of lessening the effect of a side effect is to lower the dose of chemotherapy drugs or to prescribe longer breaks between doses.

Be sure to talk to your doctor and nurse about:

• Which side effects are most likely with your particular chemotherapy 
• How long they might last 
• How bad they might be
• When you should seek medical care for them. For more information see the Survivorship A to Z document: "When To Call Your Doctor While Receiving Chemotherapy."

Many people have no long-term problems from chemotherapy, although the effects can continue for a while after treatment ends.

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