Chemotherapy is a treatment used for many types of cancers, but it is not without side effects, some of which are long-term. Side effects vary, depending on the drugs used, the regimen followed and the individual patient. Before chemotherapy starts, talk to your doctor or nurse about the drugs you will be given as well as all the possible side effects--both short-term and long-term.
Cardiac Side Effects
Chemotherapy, especially the class of drugs called the anthracyclines, can cause long-term heart damage, according to the American Cancer Society. Heart damage occurs in approximately one out of every ten people. It may eventually lead to congestive heart failure. These risks can be exacerbated if you have had previous radiation therapy to the heart, or if you are a smoker.
Cognitive Side Effects
"Chemo brain" is an effect that can occur during chemotherapy and may continue even after chemotherapy has ended. Activities like comprehension, memory, concentration and reasoning can all be affected, according to the American Cancer Society. This condition may also be referred to as mild cognitive impairment.
Fertility
Chemotherapy can cause sterility in men and early menopause and infertility in women. These effects do not occur in all patients; it depends on the drugs used, the regimen undergone and individual patient characteristics like age. Sometimes sperm motility is slowed, and chromosomal abnormalities can occur. In women, the amount of hormones produced may be lowered because of the chemotherapy treatment.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Peripheral neuropathy is when the nerves in the arms and legs are damaged, leading to feelings of numbness or "pins and needles," problems with reflexes, temperature sensitivity or balance problems. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can happen during and directly after treatment, or it can start after treatment has ended. It can last for a long time, or it may be temporary. Certain chemotherapy drugs are more likely to be associated with neuropathy than others, and you should talk to your doctor if you start having any symptoms that concern you.
