Side Effects Of Chemotherapy For Breast Cancer

When you and your doctor are deciding on a chemotherapy regimen weighing the benefits versus the side effects is part of the process.

Side effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer.

The information below describes side effects that might be caused by traditional or standard chemotherapy. There are also other drugs that are used to treat cancer in different ways including targeted therapy hormone therapy and immunotherapy. For breast cancer patients the central line is typically placed on the side opposite of the underarm that had lymph nodes removed for the breast cancer surgery. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for breast cancer can stop your body from making white blood cells which fight infections.

Chemo is given in cycles followed by a rest period to give you time to recover from the effects of the drugs. Other side effects feelings of fear sadness and isolation can compound the physical side effects of chemotherapy both during and after treatment. Still some side effects may take several months or longer to go away completely. Most chemotherapy side effects go away shortly after you ve finished chemotherapy.

Side effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer side effects of chemotherapy are usually temporary and most can be controlled. With the doses given today the risks of heart problems and leukemia are low. For most people with breast cancer the benefits of chemotherapy outweigh these risks. Rarely chemotherapy for breast cancer can trigger a secondary cancer such as cancer of the blood cells leukemia several years after the chemotherapy was completed.

Heart problems and leukemia are rare but severe side effects of some types of chemotherapy.