While chemotherapy can increase a cancer patient's chances of survival, there are serious risks associated with chemotherapy treatment. Some complications are permanent or life-threatening, and the decision to receive chemotherapy should be made only after close consultation with an oncologist. Some complications develop during the treatment cycle; others, such as secondary cancers, may develop years later. Fortunately, many people benefit from and complete chemotherapy treatment without experiencing complications.
Peripheral Neuropathy
The chemotherapy drugs can damage the peripheral nerves. Symptoms include feelings of numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. Some chemotherapy drugs, such as the taxanes, are more likely to cause this complication. Fortunately, peripheral neuropathy may only be temporary. It is crucial that the patient report any unusual sensory symptoms right away. The oncologist may decide to change or even halt the treatment regimen to prevent permanent or severe damage to the nerves.
Low Blood Cell Counts
During treatment, the patient's blood counts will be carefully monitored. It is not unusual for dips to occur. If the platelets drop too low, the condition is called thrombocytopenia, and excessive bleeding or bruising can occur. Anemia is the condition of low red blood cell counts, and severe fatigue is a common symptom. Low white blood cell counts increase the chances of infection. Some oncologists prescribe white blood cell booster medications as a preventative measure. If any of these conditions develop, additional chemotherapy treatments may be delayed.
Secondary Cancers
The American Cancer Society notes that among the "late complications of cancer treatment, developing a second cancer is one of the most serious." Chemotherapy has been linked to leukemia, specifically acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Ideally, a chemotherapy patient will be monitored for leukemia long after the chemotherapy treatment ends.
Chemo Brain
For years, breast cancer patients have complained of chemo brain, the sense that they had a low level of mental impairment during---and sometimes long after---chemotherapy. But it has only been in recent years that many physicians have come to recognize chemo brain as a real condition, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) notes that chemo brain research is in its early stages. According to the NCI, research now suggests that survivors of other cancers are also affected by chemo brain. The NCI describes the classic symptoms of chemo brain as "difficulties with concentration, memory, multi-tasking, and planning ability."
Vein Damage
If the chemotherapy drugs are administered intravenously, the veins can end up scarred or weakened. Many people avoid this complication by having a port or a catheter surgically implanted prior to the first chemotherapy treatment.
