But surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation -- while key parts of treatment -- can take a toll on your physical and mental health both just after the treatment as well as months or years later. Tiredness It’s a common symptom of breast cancer and a side effect of its treatment. Your doctor might call it fatigue.
Full Answer
What are the late effects of breast cancer treatment?
New side effects may occur months or even years after treatment ends. These long-term and new side effects may be called late effects of breast cancer treatment. Late effects vary from person to person. So, it can be hard to plan for or cope with them. Talk with your health care provider about any health issues you have.
What is the quality of life after breast cancer treatment?
Most people report a good quality of life after they complete breast cancer treatment [ 8-10 ]. However, you may have some late effects of treatment. You may have some long-term side effects or new side effects may occur months or even years after treatment ends.
How can I cope with the late effects of cancer treatment?
While this can be frustrating, you can take steps to help cope should you experience late effects of treatment. Exercising and eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can help make you stronger and healthier. Avoiding tobacco, excessive alcohol use and prolonged sun exposure also are very helpful. Oct. 06, 2020
Are there any late side effects of cancer treatment for children?
If you underwent cancer treatment as a child, you may be at risk of many of the same late side effects of treatment as people who were adults during their cancer treatments. But you may also be at risk of additional late side effects.
How does breast cancer affect someone's daily life?
These may include hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, fatigue, chronic breast pain, lymphedema and a loss of sex drive. It can be hard to plan for or cope with these late effects since they vary from person to person.
How does cancer affect someone's daily life?
A cancer diagnosis can affect the emotional health of patients, families, and caregivers. Common feelings during this life-changing experience include anxiety, distress, and depression. Roles at home, school, and work can be affected. It's important to recognize these changes and get help when needed.
What are the long-term effects of breast cancer treatment?
Long-term physical changes include anatomic changes, chronic pain, phantom breast pain, axillary web syndrome, and lymphedema. In addition, women may have decreased strength, aerobic capacity, mobility, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction.
What are late effects of cancer treatment?
What cancer treatments cause late effects?TreatmentLate effectsChemotherapyDental problems Early menopause Hearing loss Heart problems Increased risk of other cancers Infertility Loss of taste Lung disease Nerve damage Osteoporosis Reduced lung capacity5 more rows
How does cancer affect your social life?
You might feel like others can't truly understand. Friends may have retreated. You might find emotional support in counseling, a support group or faith community. Relationships: Cancer can strain relationships with friends, family and co-workers.
How does breast cancer affect a person socially?
Breast cancer is known to affect women and their husbands. They both tend to experience several psychological distresses such as depression, anxiety, communication avoidance, sexual problems, separation and/or termination of the relationship.
What are the long-term effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer?
Common long-term side effects of chemotherapy include early menopause and weight gain. Rare side effects include heart problems and leukemia.
What are the after effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer?
Increased risk of developing infection (due to fewer white blood cells that help fight infection) Nerve damage (neuropathy) Problems with cognitive function that affect memory and concentration, also known as chemo brain.
How does breast cancer affect you emotionally?
A life-changing diagnosis like breast cancer can dig up a lot of emotions. It's not uncommon to have depression, anxiety, uncertainty, fear, loneliness, and body image issues, among others. In fact, about 1 in 4 people with any type of cancer may have major or clinical depression and benefit from its treatment.
What happens after cancer treatment is over?
When treatment ends, you may expect life to return to the way it was before you were diagnosed with cancer. But it can take time to recover. You may have permanent scars on your body, or you may not be able to do some things you once did easily. Or you may even have emotional scars from going through so much.
Can chemo affect you years later?
Most chemotherapy side effects are temporary and disappear once your treatment is over. For some people chemotherapy can cause long term changes in the body months or years after treatment. Many people feel more tired than usual for a long time after chemotherapy treatment.
What are the late side effects of radiotherapy?
Radiation to the brain can also have side effects that show up later – usually from 6 months to many years after treatment ends. These delayed effects can include serious problems such as memory loss, stroke-like symptoms, and poor brain function.
What Are Late Effects of Cancer Treatment?
Late effects are side effects of cancer treatment that become apparent after your treatment has ended. Cancer survivors might experience late effec...
What Cancer Treatments Cause Late Effects?
Late effects of cancer treatment can come from any of the main types of cancer treatment: chemotherapy, hormone therapy, radiation, surgery, target...
What Late Effects Might People Who Were Treated For Childhood Cancers Experience?
If you underwent cancer treatment as a child, you may be at risk of many of the same late side effects of treatment as people who were adults durin...
What Signs and Symptoms Might Signal That You're Experiencing Late Effects of Cancer Treatment?
Talk to your doctor about the late effects of your particular treatment. In some cases, your doctor will know what effects are at risk to you. But...
What Can You Do to Prevent Late Effects of Cancer Treatment?
It isn't clear that late effects are preventable or why some people might experience late effects while others don't. While this can be frustrating...
How long does fatigue last after breast cancer treatment?
Tiredness is probably the most common side effect of breast cancer treatment. It is common for tiredness to last for months after treatment is over. For some people, it may last for 1 or 2 years.
What is late effect?
Late effects. Late effects are a delayed reaction to treatment. They do not appear during treatment, but can happen months or even years later. In this information, we use the term late effects to describe both long-term and late effects.
What is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy in women with breast cancer?
Treatment with the chemotherapy drugs docetaxel or paclitaxel is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy in women who have had breast cancer. Surgery and radiotherapy to the breast may also cause nerve damage. We have more information about peripheral neuropathy.
Why is it important to have a menopause before or after treatment?
Having an early menopause because of your treatment may increase the risk of heart problems. This is because oestrogen and progesterone help protect the heart.
Why do women have a greater risk of bone thinning after menopause?
But after breast cancer treatment, some women are at a greater risk. This is because some treatments can reduce the amount of oestrogen in the body. Oestrogen helps to keep bones healthy and strong.
How long do side effects of a syringe last?
They last for more than 6 months after treatment has finished . They may go away on their own, with symptoms getting better over 1 or 2 years after treatment. Or they may be permanent.
Can hormonal therapy cause diabetes?
Usually, the benefits of hormonal therapies outweigh the small risk of diabetes. Your doctor or specialist nurse can talk to you about this. Most women will not get diabetes because of their cancer treatment. But it may help to know the symptoms of diabetes so you can get them checked, if they develop.
How long do side effects of chemotherapy last?
However, some side effects can last for months or even years and occasionally, can be permanent. The possible health effects differ with the type of chemotherapy.
How long does chemo brain last?
Most people have mild symptoms, though some have more troubling problems that impact daily life. Chemo-brain may last for one to two years after treatment or even longer. Most people report the symptoms go away over time.
How much weight gain is normal after chemo?
Weight gain (usually about five to ten pounds) is a common side effect of chemotherapy, especially in women who go into early menopause. 2-3 The more weight a woman gains, the harder it is to lose. 3
What are the side effects of aromatase inhibitors?
The pain may be in the hands and wrists, feet and ankles, knees, back or other parts of the body. 26,31 Up to 36 percent of women in clinical trials have reported joint pain and up to 15 percent have reported muscle pain (other studies have reported higher rates of these effects). 26-27,31
Can chemo cause heart problems?
Heart problems and leukemia are severe but rare side effects of certain types of chemotherapy. 15 These risks are related to the dose and type of chemotherapy drug, but with the doses given today, the risk of having either heart problems or leukemia is very low (about one percent). 2 And, some heart problems, like cardiomyopathy (enlarged, weakened heart) and congestive heart failure can sometimes be reversed if the drugs are stopped at the first sign of heart damage. 15
Can chemotherapy stop your period?
Some chemotherapy drugs can stop regular menstrual periods. Although periods may start again, for women over 40, periods often do not return and menopause begins earlier than expected. 2 Menopause can bring on symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness ( learn more about these symptoms and ways to manage them ).
Can breast cancer survivors have long term side effects?
Breast cancer survivors may face long-term side effects from treatment . Late effects differ from treatment to treatment and from person to person. Although some of these health conditions are serious, many can be managed. Talk to your health care provider about the possible late effects you may have after treatment ends and ways you can manage (or prevent) them.
What happens if you have cancer years ago?
Increased risk of other types of cancers. Nerve damage. If you were treated for cancer many years ago, you may assume any health problems you have are related to aging, not past cancer treatments. Tell your doctor what you know about your childhood cancer treatments.
What are the side effects of cancer treatment?
Childhood cancer survivors experience some of these late side effects: Heart problems, including an increased risk of heart attacks. Blood vessel problems, including an increased risk of stroke.
What to do if you have cancer and no longer seeing a doctor?
If you were treated for cancer many years ago or are no longer seeing a cancer specialist for checkups, talk to your primary care doctor about late effects . If you think you might be experiencing late effects or your doctor isn't sure what late effects to watch for, ask for a referral to a cancer specialist.
Can cancer affect children?
If you underwent cancer treatment as a child, you may be at risk of many of the same late side effects of treatment as people who were adults during their cancer treatments. But you may also be at risk of additional late side effects. That's because children's bones, tissues and organs are growing rapidly during treatment, ...
Can chemotherapy cause infertility?
Different chemotherapy drugs cause different late effects. So if you didn't take the chemotherapy drugs that can cause infertility, then you aren't believed to be at risk of that particular late effect. Late effects of radiation and surgery will affect only the area of the body exposed to them.
Can radiation affect your body?
Late effects of radiation and surgery will affect only the area of the body exposed to them. So, for example, if you had radiation to a part of your body other than your head or neck, then you won't be at risk of cavities and tooth decay as a result of your radiation therapy.
Is cancer treatment over?
Learn about late and long-term effects of cancer treatment so that you can take more control of your health as a cancer survivor. Your cancer treatment is over, but the treatments that may have saved your life may also continue to cause side effects. As more people are living longer after cancer treatment, more is becoming known about late side ...
How does breast cancer affect you?
Whether you are newly diagnosed, are still in active treatment or completed treatment years ago, breast cancer, breast cancer can affect how you feel inside and out. You have to cope with the emotional strain of the diagnosis and the challenges of treatment, as well as the stresses of daily life. Even though your diagnosis may be similar ...
What are the health issues associated with breast cancer?
Mental and physical health. Ability to perform daily roles. Sexual function. Pain, fatigue and other side effects of treatment or symptoms of the breast cancer. Non-health issues (such as financial concerns) are also part of quality of life.
What are the symptoms of early menopause?
Cognitive function (problems with memory and concentration) Early menopause. Emotional distress and depression. Fatigue or insomnia (trouble sleeping) Fear of breast cancer recurrence. Financial and insurance issues. Infertility. Joint and muscle pain.
What are the health problems of breast reconstruction?
Changes in the look and feel of the breast after radiation therapy. Changes in the look and feel of the breast after reconstruction. Cognitive function (problems with memory and concentration) Early menopause. Emotional distress and depression.
Does breast cancer affect quality of life?
Positive effects on quality of life. Although breast cancer often has a negative impact on quality of life, it may also trigger a positive change in your outlook [ 16 ]. You may have a stronger sense of spirituality or faith and a more hopeful view that increases pleasure in life [ 17 ].
Can breast cancer cause long term side effects?
Most people report a good quality of life after they complete breast cancer treatment [ 8-10 ]. However, you may have some late effects of treatment. You may have some long-term side effects or new side effects may occur months or even years after treatment ends. These may include hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms, fatigue, ...
Does chemotherapy cause infertility?
Chemotherapy may cause infertility and premature menopause, resulting in vasomotor symptoms, sexual dysfunction, and osteoporosis, which are similar to the side effects of endocrine treatment in postmenopausal women. Awareness of cardiotoxicity is needed since anthracyclines, trastuzumab, and radiotherapy can damage the heart.
Can breast cancer cause depression?
Breast cancer survivors have an increased risk of a major depression and far from all receive adequate anti-depressive treatment. Other psychological symptoms include fear of recurrence, sleep disturbances, cognitive problems, fatigue, and sexual problems.
How long does fatigue last after breast cancer treatment?
It’s a common symptom of breast cancer and a side effect of its treatment. Your doctor might call it fatigue. It might last for months after treatment, sometimes even longer.
What is the best treatment for breast cancer?
A specialized radiation treatment called radiotherapy can sometimes help. Ask your doctor about other treatment options like pain medications. Scarring. If you’ve had surgery for your cancer, the tissue around the cuts in your skin may scar and harden. The shape of your breast also may change.
What organs can breast cancer spread to?
Lung, Liver, and Other Organs. Sometimes breast cancer spreads, or metastasizes, through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. It can lead to tumors in your brain, bones, liver, lung, and elsewhere. Complications may include blocked blood vessels, bone fractures, and pressure on the spinal cord.
Why is my sex drive slow?
Your sex drive may slow as your body changes from breast cancer or its treatment. Part of this could be body image, but tiredness, pain, and anxiety also might play a part.
What organs are affected by breast cancer?
Lung, Liver, and Other Organs. Less Common Treatment Effects. More. In most cases, the biggest life-changing effects of breast cancer come from the treatment, not from the disease. Early detection and therapy options make the outlook for most types of breast cancer very good. But surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation -- while key parts ...
How to help with swollen arms from chemotherapy?
That also can make your arms or legs swell. Physical therapy may help, as can prescription steroid medication .
Does chemo make hair fall out?
Chemotherapy, or “chemo,” can make your hair fall out, not only on your head but also all over your body. Chemo also can turn your skin dry, itchy, and flaky. Radiation might cause your skin to look and feel like sunburn around the treatment spot.