When you're diagnosed with almost any form of cancer, one of the treatment options frequently made available is chemotherapy. Patients may receive it orally, intravenously or even topically. Chemotherapy inhibits the rapid division of cancer cells, altering their overall structure and making them more vulnerable to further sessions of chemotherapy as well as other forms of treatment, such as radiation therapy, hormone therapy and surgery. While the benefits of these "anticancer" drugs are clear, certain complications can arise from their use. Some are fairly minor and often dissipate after treatment has ceased, but others could become more problematic and long-lasting.
Hair Loss
One of the more common complications of chemotherapy is hair loss. As the patient takes the drugs into her body, they target those cells that rapidly divide. But the cells that cause your hair to grow have this same trait, so the chemicals attack them as well, causing your hair to eventually fall out. Though it may not seem as serious as other issues that can occur from "chemo," it still poses problems for many people, as there are a number of psychological and emotional implications to losing your hair, even for a limited amount of time.
Fatigue
Another complication that many people face from chemotherapy is fatigue, which can adversely affect your daily life to a large degree. The actual reason you're suffering from this almost overwhelming exhaustion could be partly due to the effect these drugs have on your body, reducing your blood count and just taking a toll on your system. But it can also be a result of the cancer itself, emotional stress from the disease and any digestive issues you encounter through the course of treatment.
Digestive Disruptions
There's also a great chance that you'll suffer from complications with your digestion due to chemotherapy. For many people, these drugs simply make them sick, triggering bouts of upset stomach, nausea and vomiting. Appetite loss often follows, and you may even experience both constipation and diarrhea.
Sores
Chemotherapy also causes sores, lesions and ulcers along the mucus lining of your digestive tract. This inflammatory response to the chemicals is usually isolated to the mouth, but you may also experience this painful complication on your lips as well as down into your throat, esophagus and stomach. They can make it quite difficult to eat and swallow, drink certain fluids and even talk.
Tissue Damage
Chemotherapy can also cause tissue damage. But unlike the other complications, this damage may actually be a permanent problem. The amount of damage and its severity is usually based on the location of the cancer and which drugs are used to treat the disease. In some situations, you can suffer from renal damage. In others, it could harm tissue along the respiratory tract. Both cardiovascular and neurological tissue damage is also possible. You may even experience fertility issues from certain types of tissue damage.
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