Mouth sores usually go away completely when treatment ends. It is also important to watch for infection in these sores.Įating a healthy diet and keeping your mouth and teeth clean can lower your risk of mouth sores. Mouth sores usually happen 5 to 14 days after a treatment. This causes painful sores in these areas, a condition called mucositis. Chemotherapy can damage the cells inside the mouth and throat. Learn more about cancer pain and how to manage it. If the pain is related to chemotherapy, doctors can treat it by:īlocking pain signals from the nerves to the brain with spinal treatments or nerve blocks There can be other reasons for pain besides the chemotherapy itself. It is important to talk with your health care team about your pain levels during chemotherapy. Treatment of any cancer-related pain will start by considering the cause. In some people, it may cause permanent damage. It can take months or years for nerve damage from chemotherapy to improve or go away. Sometimes the drug causing the nerve damage has to be stopped. However, nerve damage often gets worse with each dose. Most types of pain related to chemotherapy get better or go away between individual treatments. Pain from nerve damage, such as burning, numbness, or shooting pains, usually in the fingers and toes Your doctor can predict the risk of hair loss based on the drugs and doses you are receiving. It tends to increase 1 to 2 months into chemotherapy. Hair loss usually starts after the first several weeks of chemotherapy. Hair on your body may come out a little at a time or in large clumps. Some types of chemotherapy, but not all, cause hair loss. It is the most common side effect of chemotherapy. Fatigue is feeling tired or exhausted even if you get enough sleep. It may be helpful to track side effects over time and share that information with your care providers.Ĭommon side effects of chemotherapy include:įatigue. Tell them about all the side effects you notice. That is why it is important to talk with your cancer care team regularly about the side effects you are worried about or are experiencing. And you can have different side effects than you did in the past if you take the same drug again. People may not experience the same side effects even when taking the same drug. And each person's experience is different. Different drugs cause different side effects. The side effects you experience while on chemotherapy depend on which drug or combination of drugs are prescribed. What are common side effects of chemotherapy? Many types of chemotherapy now bring less side effects than even a few years ago. It is an important part of cancer treatment at any stage.ĭoctors and scientists are always working to develop drugs, drug combinations, and ways of giving treatment with fewer side effects. Preventing and treating side effects is called palliative care or supportive care. Today, many more medications are available to relieve side effects than in the past. Your health care team can help prevent or treat many side effects. Can side effects of chemotherapy be treated? For example, you might lose your hair or experience nausea and vomiting.įor most types of chemotherapy, side effects do not show how well treatment is working. Side effects happen when chemotherapy damages these healthy cells. These include cells in your blood, mouth, digestive system, and hair follicles. But some normal cells will be damaged by the chemotherapy as well. Cancer cells typically grow faster than normal, healthy cells, which means it is easier for chemotherapy to attack the cancer cells. Both cancer cells and healthy cells are active cells going through the cell cycle. Active cells are cells that are growing and dividing as a part of the normal cell cycle. Why does chemotherapy cause side effects?Ĭhemotherapy works by targeting active cells. They depend on the type of cancer, location, drugs and dose, and your general health. The side effects of chemotherapy are different for each person. It is important to be aware of possible side effects from chemotherapy so you know what to watch for and can talk with your health care team about preventing and relieving them. But like other cancer treatments, it often causes side effects. Chemotherapy treats many types of cancer effectively.
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