Three potential side effects
of breast cancer treatments
Cancer is a painful, potentially
life-threatening disease.
Though discomfort might
be the first warning sign that
compels people to visit their physicians
on the road to receiving a cancer
diagnosis, cancer treatments
can produce a host of side effects,
including pain, as well.
According to the Sidney Kimmel
Cancer Center, breast-cancer treatments
can create both long-term side
effects and late side effects.
Long-term side effects are those
that begin during treatment and
continue after all treatments have
stopped, while late side effects refers
to symptoms that can appear
weeks, months, or even years after
treatments have ended.
The list of potential side effects of
breast cancer treatments is lengthy,
but may include the following conditions
or issues:
Fatigue
The nonprofit organization
Breastcancer.org notes that fatigue
is the most common side effect of
breast-cancer treatments, with some
estimates suggesting it affects as
many as 90 percent of all patients.
Some breast-cancer patients may
experience fatigue after treatment
and find it’s worsening because
they are eating less and not getting
enough nutrients.
In such instances, the initial fatigue
may make people too tired to
cook, ultimately contributing to
more fatigue when they are not eating
or eating convenient yet potentially
unhealthy foods.
Cooking healthy foods in bulk
when fatigue is not overwhelming
and accepting others’ offers to cook
is a great way for cancer patients to
ensure their diets are helping them
combat fatigue and not making fatigue
worse.
Lymphedema
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
notes that, following breast-cancer
treatment, some patients may suffer
from lymphedema, a condition
characterized by the accumulation
of lymphatic fluid in the tissues.
Lymphedema most often occurs
in the arms, but can contribute to
swelling in other parts of the body
as well.
Why some people suffer from
lymphedema after treatment and
others don’t is a mystery, though
surgeons at Johns Hopkins Breast
Center have noticed a low occurrence
According to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, breast cancer treatments can create both long-term side effects and late side
effects.
of lymphedema in patients
who have undergone sentinel
node biopsies or axillary node
dissection.
Breast-cancer patients
are at risk of lymphedema
for the rest of their lives
after treatment, and while
there’s no way to prevent
it, patients should avoid getting
needle sticks or blood
pressure tests in arms
where lymph nodes
were removed.
In addition, any
injuries or cuts in
arms where lymph
nodes were removed
should be treated with
vigilance.
Infertility
Many women will stop menstruating
while undergoing
chemotherapy or after
chemo treatments, and
that cessation is often
temporary.
These irregularities
may be traced to hormonal
therapies that make the
ovaries stop producing eggs.
However, in some instances,
even premenopausal women
may have trouble getting
pregnant after hormonal
therapy.
Breastcancer.org notes
that women whose periods
do not return after treatment
may still be fertile, but
also notes that women who are close
to menopause when beginning chemo
may become permanently infertile.
Women who have been diagnosed
with breast cancer who are
concerned about post-treatment
infertility should speak with their
physicians immediately about their
prospects of getting pregnant after
treatment, including fertility treatments
and the potential safety risks
of getting pregnant after being diagnosed
with breast cancer.
Breast-cancer treatments save
lives every day.
When discussing treatments with
their physicians, breast-cancer patients
should ask questions about
potential short- and long-term side
effects.
48 TIMESLEDGER, OCT. 11-17, 2019 BT QNS.COM
/Breastcancer.org
/Breastcancer.org
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