Some of the most common short-term side effects of chemotherapy are hair loss (alopecia), nausea and vomiting. The side effects you have depends largely on the specific type of chemotherapy you are given.
Hair Loss (Alopecia)
Hair loss is a well-known side effect of chemotherapy. Hair loss can have a strong emotional impact. As with breast surgery, losing your hair can be viewed as another "assault" on a personal feature that you may feel is tied to your identity. To have both of these losses during treatment can be very trying, especially when they are combined with all the other emotional aspects of coping with breast cancer.
Hair loss occurs all over the body, though it's most visible on your scalp. Using a gentle shampoo and washing your hair less often may cut down on hair loss. However, with some treatment regimens, including those containing anthracyclines such as doxorubicin or taxanes such as paclitaxel or docetaxel, you almost always lose your hair.
Wigs, hats and scarves may help you deal with hair loss. If you think you may want to wear a wig, it is best to buy one before you begin chemotherapy. Many health insurance plans will cover all or part of the cost of a wig for people going through chemotherapy if the claim includes a health care provider's prescription or letter.
Some people cut their hair once they start chemotherapy to prepare for the loss of their hair. This may help you feel in control.
Hair will begin to grow back two to three months after treatment ends, though it may be a different color and/or texture than it was before [16]. It often comes in curlier and grayer than it was before. The hair texture will return to normal over many months. You can dye or color your hair whenever you like.
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy. Improvements in anti-nausea medications however, mean that many people go through chemotherapy without much nausea and vomiting. Your health care provider will give you prescriptions for anti-nausea medicines and instructions on how to use them. The choice of anti-nausea medications will depend on the chemotherapy drugs you are given.
Fingernail and Toenail Weakness
Some chemotherapy regimens can also cause damage to the fingernails and toenails. The nails become brittle and sore, and may fall off. Chemotherapy drugs such as paclitaxel and docetaxel often cause nail problems. Like hair loss, nail problems are temporary. Your nails will return to normal once you finish chemotherapy.
Pain
Chemotherapy drugs, including vinorelbine, cisplatin and taxanes such as paclitaxel and docetaxel, can cause nerve damage in some people. If this happens, you may feel a burning or shooting pain (neuropathy) or numbness, usually in the fingers or toes. These side effects almost always go away after chemotherapy ends, but in rare cases, the numbness or pain can persist. Chemotherapy can also cause muscle pain (myalgia). If you have this type of pain or numbness, tell your health care provider right away. He/she may want to adjust your chemotherapy plan to ease these symptoms. Your provider may also prescribe mild pain relievers or recommend other treatments to ease the pain or numbness. For more information on the management of pain related to treatment, visit the Pain Management section.
Other Short-term Side Effects
Chemotherapy drugs can cause other short-term side effects, including:
Chemotherapy can cause a drop in red blood cells (anemia). Anemia can greatly affect your quality of life by causing fatigue and shortness of breath. It can also make you look pale. Severe anemia can be treated with a blood transfusion. Growth factors, such as erythropoietin (Procrit, Epogen and Aranesp) or similar drugs can increase the number of red cells. However, recent safety analyses have raised questions about whether people with breast cancer should get erythropoietin (for more on these safety analyses, visit the FDA website).
Chemotherapy can also cause a drop in the white blood cell count (leukopenia/neutropenia). Many chemotherapy regimens include white blood cell growth factors that help maintain white blood cell counts and reduce the risk of infection. Examples of these growth factors include filgrastim (Neupogen) and pegfilgrastim (Neulasta). Each of these drugs is given by injection. Your nurse can inject these medicines, or you can learn to give yourself the injection.
Updated 09/12/08
