Hair loss, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea...... It is a common side effect of chemotherapy, but this is only a recent toxicity of chemotherapy.
In fact, chemotherapy will also produce long-term toxic reactions, which is the "sequelae" we are going to talk about today, and it is recommended to like and share it so that more people can know about it.
Are the side effects still after chemotherapy?
Inventory of 7 major chemotherapy "sequelae"
There are 7 common types of long-term toxicity, which usually occur after the end of chemotherapy and will affect life and survival to a certain extent, it is necessary to understand and learn how to prevent it:
01 Cardiovascular complications
Such complications include coronary artery disease, heart failure and high blood pressure.
Among them, there are many patients who use paclitaxel, docetaxel (taxanes), and gemcitabine.
Screenshot of related research
Cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines (doxorubicin, daunorubicin, noburubicin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone) may occur in the long term within 1 year of chemotherapy or several years after the end of chemotherapy.
A study in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that the risk of cardiovascular disease in cancer survivors was more than twice that of the general population, and among them, leukemia and breast cancer survivors had the highest risk of cardiovascular disease.
Screenshot of related research
People with cancer who previously had cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia, are at higher risk of developing this complication.
And it has a serious impact on patient survival: cancer survivors who develop cardiovascular disease compared to cancer survivors who do not have cardiovascular disease
02 Lung infection
Lung infections are very common in clinical practice. Among them, it is especially seen in patients with lung cancer.
According to relevant statistics, 17.3% of lung cancer patients had lung infection, 68.18% of lung cancer patients died directly or indirectly from lung infection, and 27.96% of patients with advanced lung cancer had a mortality rate of 27.96%.
One of the reasons for this is bone marrow suppression, poor feeding, and decreased immune function leading to infection due to chemotherapy.
03 Fertility is affected
The reproductive toxicity of chemotherapy mainly includes: teratogenicity and infertility.
Chemotherapy-induced infertility is mainly due to dose-dependent gonadal toxicity, with alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide and methylbenzylhydrazine often thought to be involved.
Chemotherapy long-term side effects(1)
04 Cancer again
Data show that 17%~19% of all new primary cancers occur in cancer survivors.
The incidence of second primary tumors in patients with long-term chemotherapy is significantly increased, with leukemia, lymphoma and bladder cancer being the most common, and this toxicity is most prominent with alkylating agents, which usually occurs 2 years after the initial treatment, and 5~10 years is the peak period.
Screenshot of related research
05 Neurocognitive dysfunction
In the United States, more than 40% of childhood and early childhood cancer survivors develop neurocognitive dysfunction.
Problems arise mainly in processing speed, concentration, memory, and executive function.
Drugs that have been shown to be neurocognitive toxic include antimetabolites and anthracycline antibiotics.
For example, fluorouracil, cisplatin, purpureol, vincristine, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, aclamycin, etc.
Chemotherapy Long-term Side Effects(2)
06 Feeling tired all the time
This fatigue includes physical and emotional fatigue, as well as cognitive fatigue (feeling of exertion and tiredness in feeling, perception, memory, thinking, etc.).
Screenshot of related research
Surveys have shown that this fatigue persists long in cancer survivors, and it is linked to a number of factors, including poor sleep, depression, and chemotherapy.
07 Psychological problems
Psychological problems after chemotherapy include psychological stress, anxiety, and depression.
The reasons for this can be related to the destruction of life purpose, relationships, and self-image, as well as the fear of cancer recurrence.
Alleviate long-term side effects of chemotherapy
Prevent the "sequelae" of chemotherapy and treat it in this way
01 How to prevent cardiovascular complications?
1) Healthy lifestyle: First of all, we should adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as:
2) Early medical treatment: The age of onset of cardiovascular disease will be earlier in people receiving chemotherapy, so we encourage abnormal early medical treatment.
3) Do an annual check-up: Consider doing an electrocardiogram and blood pressure check once a year.
4) Do a good job of relevant examinations: cardiac radionuclide scintigraphy (cardiac isotope examination) or echocardiography can also detect lesions in time.
02 How to Prevent Lung Infections?
1) Pay attention to lifestyle habits: After lung cancer surgery, you should be
2) Enhance self-resistance: Appropriate exercise to improve lung function and enhance self-resistance.
3) Pay attention during treatment: strengthen postoperative wound care and prevent infection at the same time. Antiemetic therapy should be intensified during chemoradiotherapy, and lung infections should be prevented after chemoradiotherapy.
03 How can fertility effects be prevented?
According to the Department of Gastroenterology of Peking University Cancer Hospital, there is no effective prevention and treatment of gonadal dysfunction caused by chemotherapy drugs, but we can pay attention to the following two points:
1) Reduce the dose of drugs: During chemotherapy, reducing the dose of related drugs can partially alleviate the gonadal damage caused by chemotherapy drugs.
2) Protective administration: For women at the age of more vigorous ovarian function, the use of chemotherapy drugs and drugs that suppress ovarian function, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues, can reduce the damage of chemotherapy drugs to the ovaries and play a protective role in the ovaries.
04 How to prevent cancer recurrence?
1) Lifestyle modifications: Reduce the risk of cancer by making lifestyle modifications, including quitting smoking, alcohol, diet, nutrition, sleep, and exercise.
2) Perform cancer screening: It is recommended to follow the guidelines for cancer screening that apply to the general population.
05 How to prevent neurocognitive toxicity?
1) Neurological examination: once a year for the first 3 years, and then re-evaluated if the condition changes.
2) Pay attention to your lifestyle habits: wear warm gloves in winter, and consider wearing hearing aids if you are hearing impaired.
3) Cognitive function training: Through learning and training, neuroplasticity can be enhanced and brain function can be improved. For example, cognitive training can improve memory, concentration, and logical thinking skills.
06 How to relieve cancer fatigue?
1) Regular exercise: Committing at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, such as moderate-intensity walking, has been shown to help improve fatigue and reduce anxiety.
2) Rest and relax: Set aside time to rest every day, don't rest for too long at a time, but take a break multiple times a day, no more than 1 hour each time.
07 How to deal with psychological problems?
1) Screening and assessment: Psychosocial and emotional depression assessments are conducted annually to detect psychological problems early.
2) Individual psychological correction: eliminate the fear of cancer, do not be too afraid of recurrence, and take the initiative to confide in your inner pain and boredom.
3) Family psychoeducation: The patient's family members actively learn the knowledge of tumor rehabilitation and provide support and help, which can also help the patient's psychological improvement.
4) Cognitive and behavioral education: You can learn to master some psychological relaxation methods, such as:
5) Find group support: For example, communicate with cancer friends, encourage each other, and alleviate psychological distress.
6) Appropriate exercise: Exercise is also a good way to improve the mind, such as aerobic exercises such as Baduanjin and slow walking.
The above are the sequelae of chemotherapy (long-term side effects) and related preventive measures that we need to pay attention to, so please collect and share them.
Friends of the patient during or after chemotherapy, as well as the patient's family, should actively pay attention to these issues in order to recover better, and at the same time do not be afraid of chemotherapy, after all, chemotherapy has more benefits than disadvantages for cancer treatment.
If you have any questions about chemotherapy side effects, please leave a message to let us know and we will be happy to answer for you!
If you think this article is helpful to you, please like and collect and forward, so that more people in need of help know!Follow me to read more about tumor health!I am Yisuikang, I hope I can help you!