My chemotherapy starts soon. What side effects can I expect?

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with anticancer drugs. These drugs destroy or control cancer by preventing cancer cells from growing or multiplying. Anticancer drugs also can harm healthy cells. This is what causes side effects.

Fatigue (feeling tired and lacking energy) is the most common side effect of chemotherapy. Others may be nausea and vomiting, pain, hair loss, confusion, depression, infection, and anemia. Anemia is a drop in red blood cells, which can make you feel weak, dizzy, short of breath, and as if your heart if pounding very fast.

You may have none of these side effects or just a few. The kind of side effects you have, and how severe they are, depend on the type and dose of your drugs and how your body reacts to them.

Many side effects of chemotherapy can be prevented or treated. Most gradually go away after treatment ends. However, in some cases, the treatment may cause permanent changes or damage to the heart, lungs, nerves, kidney, reproductive system, and other organs.

Before starting chemotherapy, you should be given all the facts about your treatment, including the drugs you will be given and all possible side effects. Ask your doctor or nurse to explain anything that is not clear to you. You also will be asked to sign a consent form. Do not sign the form until all your questions have been answered in a way you can understand.

Remember to balance your concerns about the side effects of chemotherapy with the treatment's ability to destroy or control your cancer.

For more information, or to request a free copy of the 66-page booklet "Chemotherapy and You," Call the Cancer Information Service at 800-4-CANCER.

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