Side Effects of Chemotherapy

Today, chemotherapy has become a common treatment for cancer. Before anyone decides to use chemotherapy as a treatment, they should be aware of all possible side effects. Side effects of chemotherapy can be short term, long term, or even result in death.

The side effects can cause discomfort or pain and may include diarrhea, nausea, hair loss, internal bleeding or bruising, anemia, fatigue, or infection. Many of these side effects are only temporary and treatable. If someone develops anemia during treatment, their doctor may give them a blood transfusion or have them follow a strict diet to increase the count of their red blood cells until their cells are at a stable level. Though anemia is treatable, if it is not treated it can become serious and lead to other problems.

When someone is being treated, they may notice certain parts of the body are reacting negatively to the chemotherapy. They may notice they have developed intestinal problems or a change in diet, such as a loss of appetite. Since internal bleeding is a possible side effect, serious intestinal problems could develop and possibly become untreatable if they are not detected right away.

Chemotherapy treatment involves different types of chemicals. The chemicals may cause some people to have sore gums, a sore mouth, or possibly a sore throat because bruising will be more common in someone who undergoes this treatment.

There are other treatments for cancer, but a doctor will be able to determine which treatment is best for each specific type of cancer. Because chemotherapy does have serious side effects, you should educate yourself about all possible side effects and how you may need to change your everyday schedule to avoid serious problems if you are considering the treatment.