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Complications of Chemotherapy

Cancer cells are, to some extent, similar to normal cells. Any drug that can damage and kill cancer cells, carries a potential to damage normal cells as well. As a result, treatment with chemotherapy drugs may have significant side effects.

Why should we then use these drugs, despite their unwanted ill effects? Because we have no other alternatives. Bone marrow transplantation is a high-tech medical treatment, but it is not free of side effects and complications. Thirty to forty percent of patients receiving a bone marrow from an unrelated donor, die as a direct result of complications of the transplant. The procedure-related mortality is about 20% for recipients of sibling marrow transplants. Why do we expose patients to such horrendous treatments? Because it is better than a 100 percent death rate from the cancer.

The extent of the severity of side effects depends on the type of drug used and the dosage and frequency of the administration. Each drug has a unique set of side effects. The following is a partial list of these side effects. For more detailed information, please refer to the relevant page for each drug and/or consult your physician.

• Hair loss

• Nausea & Vomiting

• Low white blood count

• Anemia

• Low platelet count

• Tumor Lysis syndrome

• Kidney damage

• Lung damage

• Liver damage

• Heart damage

• Damage to the veins