Managing Physical Effects
Browse a list of common side effects of cancer or cancer treatment with links to practical information for preventing or relieving these effects. Also find information on maintaining proper nutrition during cancer treatment. To learn more, see Palliative Care in Cancer.
On this page:
Anemia and Bleeding Problems
- Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Anemia
Practical advice about anemia, tips to help you feel less tired, and signs to call your doctor about. Read questions to ask your doctor. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Bleeding Problems
Practical steps to help you prevent bleeding problems during chemotherapy and know what problems to call your doctor about. Read questions to ask your doctor.
Back to TopConfusion and Memory Problems
- Delirium (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about delirium as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Supportive care and pharmacologic approaches to the management of delirium are discussed. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Memory Changes
Practical information about what causes memory changes during chemotherapy. Get helpful tips and learn what questions to ask your doctor to learn more.
Constipation and Diarrhea
- Gastrointestinal Complications (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about constipation, impaction, bowel obstruction, and diarrhea as complications of cancer or its treatment. The management of these problems is discussed. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Constipation
Practical tips to prevent or relieve constipation and feel better during chemotherapy. Learn what foods can help and key questions to ask your doctor. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Diarrhea
Practical information to help you prevent or relieve diarrhea and feel better during chemotherapy. Learn what foods and drinks may help you feel better and what problems to call your doctor about. - What To Do When You Have Loose Stools (Diarrhea)
Practical tips to help people with cancer manage diarrhea, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with your doctor or nurse.
Fatigue
- Fatigue (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about fatigue, a condition marked by extreme tiredness and inability to function because of lack of energy, often seen as a complication of cancer or its treatment. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Fatigue (Feeling Weak and Very Tired)
Practical tips to help people with cancer make a plan to feel less tired and fatigued during chemotherapy. Learn what problems you should call your doctor about and read questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do When You Feel Weak or Tired (Fatigue)
Practical tips to help people with cancer deal with fatigue, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse. - Sleep Disorders (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about causes and management of sleep disorders in people with cancer.
Fever and Infection
- Fever, Sweats, and Hot Flashes (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about causes and treatment of fever, sweats, and hot flashes in cancer patients. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Infection
Practical advice to help you lower your chances of getting infections during chemotherapy and problems to call your doctor about. Read questions to ask your doctor.
Hair Loss
- Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Hair Loss (Alopecia)
Practical tips on how others have coped with hair loss (also called alopecia) during chemotherapy. Read questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do About Hair Loss (Alopecia)
Practical tips to help patients with cancer deal with hair loss, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse.
Lymphedema
- Lymphedema (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about the treatment of lymphedema, a condition in which lymph fluid builds up in tissues and causes swelling. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Swelling (Fluid Retention)
Practical information about what causes swelling (fluid retention) during chemotherapy, steps to take to prevent it, and when to call your doctor. Learn what questions to ask your doctor.
Nausea and Vomiting
- Nausea and Vomiting (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about nausea and vomiting as complications of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management of nausea and vomiting are discussed. - Cannabis and Cannabinoids (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about the use of Cannabis and cannabinoids in the treatment of cancer-related side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Nausea and Vomiting
Practical tips and advice to help you prevent nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy. Learn what foods and drinks are easy on your stomach. Read questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do About Feeling Sick to Your Stomach and Throwing Up
Practical tips to help people with cancer manage nausea and vomiting, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with your doctor or nurse.
Nutrition
- Nutrition in Cancer Care (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about the causes and management of nutritional problems that occur in patients with cancer. - Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment
Information and recipes to help people with cancer meet their needs for good nutrition before, during, and after treatment. - More Research Is Needed on What Patients Being Treated for Cancer Should Eat
A survey of online recommendations shows there is a need for more research on the optimal nutritional approaches for patients being treated for cancer. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Appetite Changes
Practical tips to make eating easier, stay strong during chemotherapy and manage appetite changes. Read questions to ask your doctor.
Oral Complications
- Oral Complications of Chemotherapy and Head/Neck Radiation (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about oral complications, such as mucositis and salivary gland dysfunction, that occur in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy to the head and neck. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Mouth and Throat Changes
Practical steps to take if your mouth or throat hurts during chemotherapy. Learn about a mouth rinse that can help, what foods to avoid, and questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do When Your Mouth or Throat Hurts
An easy-to-read fact sheet for radiation therapy patients that includes information and tips to help manage mouth or throat pain, feel better during treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse.
Pain
- Pain (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about pain as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of cancer-associated pain are discussed. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Pain
Practical advice to help you prevent or manage pain during chemotherapy treatment. Tips to help you track your pain, get the most from your pain medicine, and know when to call your doctor about. - Pain Control: Support for People with Cancer
A booklet for cancer patients that addresses pain control medicines and methods, as well as the physical and emotional effects of pain. - Many Patients with Cancer Need Better Treatments for Pain
Inadequate pain treatment in patients with cancer remains a significant problem and appears to be more frequent among minorities, according to a new study published online April 16, 2012, in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Nerve Changes
Practical information about nerve changes (also called peripheral neuropathy) and tips that have helped others during chemotherapy. Learn what changes to call your doctor about and questions to ask your doctor.
Sexuality and Fertility
- Sexuality and Reproductive Issues (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about factors that may affect sexual functioning in people with cancer. Fertility issues related to cancer treatment are also discussed. - Preserving Fertility While Battling Cancer
Information about the potential impact of cancer treatment on the fertility of cancer patients and ways to address issues related to fertility preservation decisions. (from the January 11, 2011, NCI Cancer Bulletin) - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Sexual and Fertility Changes in Men
Practical information and answers to questions from men about sexual problems or fertility changes due to chemotherapy. Learn what questions to ask your doctor before treatment starts. - What Men Can Do About Changes in Sexuality and Fertility
Practical tips to help men manage changes in sexuality and fertility, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Sexual and Fertility Changes in Women
Practical information and answers to questions from women about sexual problems or fertility changes due to chemotherapy. Learn what questions to ask your doctor before treatment starts. - What Women Can Do About Changes in Sexuality and Fertility
Practical tips for women to help manage changes in sexuality and fertility, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse.
Skin Changes
- Pruritus (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about pruritus (itching of the skin) as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of pruritus are discussed. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Skin and Nail Changes
Practical information to help you care for your skin and nails during chemotherapy and problems to call your doctor about. Read questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do About Mild Skin Changes
Practical tips to help people with cancer manage mild skin changes, feel better during radiation treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse.
Other Physical Effects
- Hypercalcemia (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about hypercalcemia (high blood calcium levels) as a complication of cancer. Approaches to the treatment of hypercalcemia are discussed. - Cardiopulmonary Syndromes (PDQ®)
[ patient ] [ health professional ]
Expert-reviewed information summary about common conditions that produce chest symptoms. The cardiopulmonary syndromes addressed in this summary are cancer-related dyspnea, malignant pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, and superior vena cava syndrome. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Nerve Changes
Practical information about nerve changes (also called peripheral neuropathy) and tips that have helped others during chemotherapy. Learn what changes to call your doctor about and questions to ask your doctor. - Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects: Urination Changes
Practical information about how to prevent or manage changes in urination during chemotherapy, problems to call your doctor about, and questions to ask your doctor. - What To Do About Changes When You Urinate
An easy-to-read fact sheet for radiation therapy patients that includes information and tips to help people manage changes when they urinate, feel better during treatment, and talk with their doctor or nurse.
Understanding Chemotherapy
- Understanding Chemotherapy
What chemotherapy is and how it can help you. Use this when you talk with your doctor to get the information you need before and during treatment. - Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer
Information about what to expect during chemotherapy and what patients can do to take care of themselves during and after treatment.
Understanding Radiation Therapy
- Radiation Therapy and You: Support for People With Cancer
Information about what to expect during radiation therapy, including the general effects of treatment and how to deal with specific side effects. - What To Know About Brachytherapy (A Type of Internal Radiation Therapy)
Practical information and tips to help radiation therapy patients understand brachytherapy, a type of internal radiation therapy. - What To Know About External Beam Radiation Therapy
Practical information and tips for radiation therapy patients about external beam radiation therapy.
