Managing the side effects of cancer treatment

Cancer treatment can be quite intensive and take some time to complete, and throughout your treatment journey you are likely to experience some adverse side effects. Learning about and preparing for these possible side effects may help you with managing them.

View side effects by treatment area

Managing Side Effects

treatment options

Points to discuss with your oncologist or radiation therapist

If you experience any of the following symptoms, please discuss them with your radiation oncologist or radiotherapist

  • 01
    A pain that does not go away.
  • 02
    Any new lumps, bumps, swellings, rashes, bruises, or bleeding.
  • 03
    Appetite changes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation.
  • 04
    Weight loss that you cannot explain.
  • 05
    A fever, cough or hoarseness that does not go away.
  • 06
    Any other symptoms that worry you.
  • 07
    If there is a chance that you are pregnant.

Side effects of chemotherapy

Side effects are different for each person – some people have many, while others hardly have any. The team will watch you closely and ask you if you notice any problems. If you do have side effects, your oncologist or chemotherapy nurse will discuss ways to manage them.

Chemotherapy works by stopping or slowing down the growth of cancer cells, which grow and divide quickly. It can also harm healthy cells that divide quickly, such as those that line your mouth and intestines or cause your hair to grow. Damage to healthy cells may cause side effects, often side effects get better or go away after chemotherapy is over.

Common side effects

Many people who have chemotherapy will complain about side effects of treatment. Among the more common side effects are:

  • Anaemia
  • Appetite changes
  • Bleeding
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Fatigue
  • Infection
  • Infertility
  • Mouth and throat changes
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Nervous system changes
  • Sexual changes
  • Skin and nail changes
  • Urinary, bladder and kidney changes
  • Pain
  • Hair loss
treatment options

Managing your chemotherapy side effects

Please do not hesitate to speak to your doctor or nurse about your physical and/or emotional pain (it does not have to relate to cancer or its treatments). There are many pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical interventions that may bring you relief. Sometimes just talking to someone who listens may be comforting.

Contact you doctor if you experience:

  • Unexplained bleeding such as blood in urine, stools or vomit and unusual bruising under your skin.
  • Extreme fatigue that is not improving.
  • A cough that is getting worse and/or shortness of breath.
  • Rapid, irregular heartbeats or chest pain.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Inability to eat or drink.
  • Signs of jaundice - skin and white eyes that appear more yellow than normal.
  • New rashes or an existing rash that is getting worse.

Treatment areas and possible side effects

Side effects of brain treatment

Radiotherapy for brain tumours could make symptoms worse before they get better. This is because treatment can cause swelling in the brain, increasing pressure and exaggerating symptoms

01 Fatigue
02 Hair Loss
03 Nausea and vomiting
04 Skin changes
05 Headache
06 Blurry vision

Side effects of breast treatment

Radiotherapy for breast cancer can cause some localised side effects that you can learn more about below.

01 Fatigue
02 Hair Loss
03 Skin changes
04 Tenderness
05 Swelling

Side effects of chest treatment

Radiotherapy for chest, or thoracic cancer can cause some localised side effects that you can learn more about below.

01 Fatigue
02 Hair Loss
03 Skin changes
04 Throat changes
05 Cough
06 Shortness of breath

Side effects of pelvis treatment

Radiotherapy for pelvic cancers can cause some localised side effects that you can learn more
about below.

01 Diarrhoea
02 Fatigue
03 Hair loss
04 Nausea and vomiting
05 Sexual & fertility changes
06 Skin changes
07 Urinary and bladder changes
 
 
 

Side effects of rectum treatment

Radiotherapy for ractal cancer can cause some localised side effects that you can learn more
about below.

01 Diarrhoea
02 Fatigue
03 Hair loss
04 Sexual & fertility changes
05 Skin changes
06 Urinary and bladder changes

Side effects of stomach and abdomen treatment

Radiotherapy for abdominal cancers can cause some localised side effects that you can learn more about below.

01 Diarrhoea
02 Fatigue
03 Hair loss
04 Skin changes
05 Nausea and vomiting
06 Urinary and bladder changes

Further information

Contact the central customer service centre on

[email protected] or 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273)

Please note that the centre operates on weekdays between 08:00 and 16:00.

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