LATE EFFECTS

OF
CANCER TREATMENT
PRESENTED BY: BAKHTAWAR
UMAMA
ZOHA
RAVI
SHOAIB
WHAT IS CANCER?
 Cancer is an abnormal growth of dead cells. It develops because the old
cells do not die instead it grow abnormally. The newly formed dead
cells form a group called tumor.
 These dead cells are characterized by an

 Abnormal growth of cells

 Ability to invade tissues and even distant

organ

 Eventually death of the affected person if the

tumor has progressed beyond the stage when
it can successfully be removed.
 HOW IT IS TREATED?

 Cancer can be treated by three methods

 SURGERY
• Removal of cancer cells at particular site by means of surgery
 CHEMOTHERAPY
 Use of drugs to kills the
cancer cells
CONT….

 RADIOTHERAPY
• Use of high energy radiations to kill the cancer cells
CONT……
 IMMUNOTHERAPY
• It Boost up the body’s natural defense to fight the cancer. It is also known
as biological therapy
CONT….

 RADIOTHERAPY
• Use of high energy radiations to kill the cancer cells
SIDE EFFECTS OF
CANCER TREATMENT
 A side effect occurs when treatment damages healthy cells.

EARLY SIDE EFFECTS:

 Early side effects usually are related to the area being
treated. These include Loss of appetite, Neutropenia,
Lymphedema, Hair Loss, Nausea and Vomiting and many
other side effects, including tiredness, trouble eating, and
depression

LATE SIDE EFFECTS:

  Late side effects can take months or years to develop.
LATE EFFECTS OF CANCER
TREATMENT
 Late effects are side effects of cancer treatment that become
apparent after the treatment has ended
 Nearly any cancer treatment can cause late effects. And
different treatments can cause different late effects.
LATE EFFECTS OF SURGERY
 Late side effects from surgery depend on the type of
cancer and on the area of body where the surgery is
performed. These side effects vary from person to
person based on several factors:

1. Location and type of cancer

2. Type of surgery
3. Other treatments received before surgery, such as
chemotherapy and radiation therapy
4. Patient’s general health
5. The symptoms before surgery
1. Scar formation
 Scar tissue forms when the body heals from surgical
wounds. Scar tissue pain can occur year after the surgery.

2. DIGESTION PROBLEMS:

 Surgery to the abdominal area can cause tissue scarring,
long-term pain, and intestinal problems. Some survivors
may have chronic diarrhea that reduces the body’s ability to
absorb nutrients.
Some surgical side effects are discussed below:

 3. LYMPHEDEMA:
 Patient may be at risk for lymphedema
if part of lymph system is damaged
during surgery to remove lymph nodes.
This causes swelling, tightness, and
discomfort and limit the movement and
function of that area, such as an arm or a
leg.
 Lymphedema can develop many years
after treatment.
4. COGNITIVE PROBLEMS
 Removal of brain tissue in brain tumor surgery can lead to
negative effects on brain functions, such as concentration
problem-solving, communication, and can cause weakness
or co-ordination difficulties.

5. URINE INCONTINENCE

 The major possible side effects of prostatectomy urinary
incontinence (being unable to control urine) and erectile
dysfunction
 6. INFECTION: 
An infection may occur at the site of the incision.
Signs of infection in a surgical incision include:
 Redness
 Warmth
 More pain
 Drainage from the wound

 7. INFERTILITY:
 Surgery for prostate cancer, bladder cancer, colorectal
cancer, or other types of cancer can cause infertility.
People who had certain surgeries in the pelvis or
abdomen may not be able to have children.
 8. NUMBNESS: 
 Because nerves in the skin are cut during surgery, it is
common to experience numbness. Though numbness usually
does not cause a person any problems, but it often lasts a long
time and it can be permanent.
 9. BRUISING: 
 Bruising can be seen around the surgery site. After a
surgical incision, some blood can leak from small blood
vessels under the skin. In some cases it can cause long
term damage it left untreated
10. SURVIVORS OF HODGKIN
LYMPHOMA, often had their spleens removed.
The spleen is a vital organ for the immune system. Removing it
is linked with a higher risk of infections.


 11. SURVIVORS OF BONE AND

SOFT-TISSUE CANCERS may have
lost part or all of a limb. This can cause physical and emotional
effects.one example of it is phantom limb (removal of limb
 12. OTHER SIDE
EFFECTS:
 Surgery on certain parts of the body as mouth, throat,
stomach, small intestine, colon, or rectum can cause the
following problems:
 Loss of appetite
 Reduction in the body's ability to absorb nutrients or certain
vitamins
 Gas, cramping, or constipation after eating
 Difficulty chewing or swallowing food
LATE EFFECTS OF
RADIOTHERAPY
 Radiation not only kills or slows
the growth of cancer cells, it can
also affect nearby healthy cells.
Damage to healthy cells can
cause side effects
 The side effects of radiation
therapy vary in severity and
duration from person to person
and depend on:
 The general health of the patient
 Type of cancer
 Location of cancer in the body
 Dose of radiation given
1. ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
PROBLEMS
  Some types of cancer treatments may affect the endocrine
system. This system includes the glands and other organs
that make hormones and make eggs or sperm.
 Radiation to head and neck may damage the thyroid.
 radiation to the pelvis may damage ovaries in female and
testes in men
 Problem caused by these changes can develop many years
after treatment and may include early menopause, infertility,
underactive thyroid, overactive thyroid and weight gain.
2. EFFECTS of radiation TO
HEAD AND NECK
 Radiation to the head or neck may cause these side effects:
 Dryness of mouth
 Mouth ulcers
 Swallowing difficulty
 Stiffness in the jaw
 Nausea and vomiting
 Loss of hair on the scalp and face
 A type of swelling called lymphedema caused by the extra
collection of lymph fluid in the tissues
Tooth damage
 Loss of cognitive function
3. SIDE EFFECTS ON
CHEST
 Radiation therapy to the chest may cause these side effects:
 Difficulty in swallowing food or drinks
 Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
 Breast or nipple may become sore
 The shoulder may become stiff
 Radiation pneumonitis can be experienced, symptoms of
which include cough, fever, and a feeling of fullness of the
chest. This may occur between 2 weeks and 6 months after
radiation therapy.
 Radiation fibrosis can cause permanent lung scars if radiation
pneumonitis is left untreated.
Increased risk of heart disease
4. Abdominal effects

 Radiation therapy to the stomach or abdomen may cause

these side effects:
 Loss of appetite
 Nausea and vomiting
 Abdominal cramps
 Diarrhea
5. Brain, spinal cord, and
nerve problems
 Radiation therapy can cause long-term side effects to the
brain, spinal cord, and nerves. These include:
 Increased risk of stroke from high doses of radiation to the
brain
 damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord,
called peripheral neuropathy
6. SECONDARY CANCERS

 It may develop as a late

effect of previous cancer
treatments, such as
chemotherapy and radiation
therapy. Or it may be the
original cancer that has
spread to other parts of the
body from where it started.
7. Mouth Changes

 Radiation therapy to your head or neck can cause late side

effects in your mouth. Problems may include dry mouth,
cavities, or bone loss in the jaw.
8. Other side effects

 Some other cancer radiation side effects that may come months or
years after the radiation therapy for cancer is stopped are
 Tooth decay
 Early-onset of menopause
 Heart problems
 Hypothyroidism
 Increased risk of stroke
 Infertility
 Decline in memory function
 Osteoporosis
 Increased risk of other cancers
LATE EFFECT OF
CHEMOTHERAPY
Chemotherapy medicine interfere with rapidly growing cells of
body.
 These drugs travel throughout the body, they can affect
normal, healthy cells that are fast-growing, too.
 Damage to healthy cells causes side effects.
 Most chemotherapy side effects are temporary and
disappear once treatment is over but in some cases side
effects may not show up for months or years after treatment.
These are called late side effects.
The normal cells most likely to be damaged
by chemo are:
a. Blood-forming cells in the bone marrow.
b. Hair follicles.
c. Cells in the mouth, digestive tract, and
reproduction system.
1. LUNG PROBLEMS

  Chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the chest may hurt

the lungs. Cancer survivors who received both
chemotherapy and radiation therapy may have a higher risk
of lung damage
 The late effects to the lungs may include:
 A change in how well the lungs work
 Thickening of the lining of the lungs
 Inflammation of the lungs
 Difficulty breathing
2. Hearing Problems
 Hearing loss from high doses of chemotherapy, especially
drugs like cisplatin (multiple brand names)
 Treatment with certain chemotherapy drugs can cause
ringing in the ears (called tinnitus) or hearing loss that
begins months or years after treatment.
3. nervous Changes

 Some chemotherapy drugs can cause problems with

thinking and behavior months or years after treatment.
 Late effects that may occur depend on the part of the brain
that was treated and may include:
 memory loss
 problems doing math
 problems concentrating
 slow processing of information
 personality changes
 movement problems
4. Eye Problems

 Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and steroid

medicines may increase the risk of cataracts.

 Some chemotherapy drugs

can cause dry eye
syndrome. Symptoms
include feeling as if your
eyes are dry or have
something in them.
5. Heart problem
 Certain cancer drugs and
radiation therapy to the
chest may cause heart
problems that don’t
show up until years after
treatment
 Complications include
congestive heart failure,
Coronary artery disease
6. Joint Changes

 Some chemotherapy drugs, and steroids can cause scar

tissue to form in the joints. These problems can lead to loss
of motion in joints,
7. BONE LOSS
 Chemotherapy, steroid medicines, hormonal therapy, or radiation
therapy may cause thinning of the bones  called osteoporosis, or
joint pain.
7. Other side effects
 Dental problems
 Early menopause
 Increased risk of other cancers
 Infertility
 Loss of taste
 Nerve damage
 Osteoporosis
 Reduced lung capacity
 Difficulty with focused thinking
 Fatigue
 Neutropenia (decrease in the number of white blood cells).
POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS
 Symptoms of post-traumatic stress may include:
 frightening thoughts
 trouble sleeping
 being distracted
 feeling hyper
 feeling alone
 losing interest in daily activities
 feelings of shock, fear, helplessness, or horror