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Side Effects of Treatment
Surgery
Radiation Therapy
Chemotherapy
Because cancer treatment often damages healthy cells and tissues, unwanted side
effects are common. Side effects depend mainly on the type and extent of the
treatment. Side effects may not be the same for each woman, and they may change
from one treatment session to the next. Before treatment starts, your health
care team will explain possible side effects and suggest ways to help you
manage them.
The NCI provides helpful booklets about cancer treatments and coping with side
effects. These include
Radiation Therapy and You,
Chemotherapy and You, and
Eating Hints for Cancer Patients.
It takes time to heal after surgery, and the recovery time is different for
each woman. You may be uncomfortable for the first few days. However, medicine
can usually control the pain. Before surgery, you should discuss the plan for
pain relief with your doctor or nurse. After surgery, your doctor can adjust
the plan if you need more pain relief.
If you have surgery to remove a small tumor on the surface of the cervix, you
may have cramping or other pain, bleeding, or a watery discharge.
If you have a hysterectomy, the length of the hospital stay may vary from
several days to a week. It is common to feel tired or weak for a while. You may
have problems with nausea and vomiting, and you may have bladder and bowel
problems. The doctor may restrict your diet to liquids at first, with a gradual
return to solid food. Most women return to their normal activities within 4 to
8 weeks after surgery.
After a hysterectomy, women no longer have menstrual periods. They cannot
become pregnant.
When the ovaries are removed, menopause occurs at once. Hot flashes and other
symptoms of menopause caused by surgery may be more severe than those caused by
natural menopause. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor before
surgery. Some drugs have been shown to help with these symptoms, and they may
be more effective if started before surgery.
After surgery, some women may be concerned about sexual intimacy. Many women
find that it helps to share these concerns with their partner. A couple may
want to ask a counselor to help them express their concerns.
Side effects depend mainly on the dose of radiation and the part of your body
that is treated. Radiation to the abdomen and pelvis may cause nausea,
vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary problems. You may lose hair in your genital
area. Also, your skin in the treated area may become red, dry, and tender.
You may have dryness, itching, or burning in your vagina. The radiation may
also make your vagina narrower. The doctor or nurse may suggest ways to relieve
discomfort. There also are ways to expand the vagina, which will help make
follow-up exams easier. Your doctor may advise you not to have intercourse
during treatment. But most women can resume sexual activity within a few weeks
after treatment ends.
You are likely to become very tired during radiation therapy, especially in the
later weeks of treatment. Resting is important, but doctors usually advise
patients to try to stay as active as they can.
Although the side effects of radiation therapy can be distressing, your doctor
can usually find ways to relieve them.
The side effects of chemotherapy depend mainly on the specific drugs and the
dose. The drugs affect cancer cells and other cells that divide rapidly:
-
Blood cells: These cells fight infection, help your blood to clot, and carry
oxygen to all parts of the body. When drugs affect your blood cells, you are
more likely to get infections, bruise or bleed easily, and feel very weak and
tired.
-
Cells in hair roots: Chemotherapy can cause you to lose your hair. The hair
will grow back, but it may be somewhat different in color and texture.
-
Cells that line the
digestive tract: Chemotherapy can cause a poor appetite,
nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, or mouth and lip sores.
The drugs used for cervical cancer also may cause skin rash, hearing problems,
loss of balance, joint pain, or swollen legs and feet.
Your doctor can suggest ways to control many of these side effects.
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