Cancer

Chemotherapy can damage your body’s ability to make red blood cells, so body tissues don't get enough oxygen. This is a condition called anemia. People who have anemia may feel very weak or tired, dizzy, faint, or short of breath, or may feel that their hearts are beating very fast. ...more

Nearly all chemo medicines suppress the bone marrow. And that, in turn, causes a reduction in the number of blood cells. This raises the risk for anemia, infection, bleeding, and bruising. Here's what you need to know. ...more

To reduce your risk for infection, avoid people who are sick with contagious illnesses, including colds, the flu, measles, or chickenpox. ...more

Neutropenia is a condition in which the body has a very low number of white blood cells. Because white blood cells attack harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi, neutropenia increases the risk for infections. ...more

Treatment for cancer, as well as the cancer itself, can affect your sense of taste or smell. You may find that many foods seem to have less taste. Other foods, especially meat or other high-protein foods, may taste bitter or metallic. Read on to learn what you can do about it. ...more

Nausea, vomiting, or changes in food’s taste or smell all may contribute to you losing your appetite. Sometimes, the cancer treatment itself will make you feel like not eating. ...more

Good nutrition is important during cancer treatment. Read on to learn how to work with your healthcare team and manage a loss of appetite during your treatment. ...more

Nutritional supplements are available to provide protein, vitamins, and other nutrients your body needs for energy. If you can’t take these supplements by mouth, special tubes can be placed that allow you to receive the necessary nutrients without eating or drinking. ...more

If you can’t tolerate food by mouth, or your bowel needs to rest, you may be given nutrition by vein. This special nutrition solution can be given into an implanted port, a tunneled tube (catheter), or any other long-term catheter placed in a large vein. ...more

To help manage changes in taste, stay away from foods and odors you find unpleasant. Brush your teeth before and after meals to keep your mouth clean. ...more

Sometimes cancer treatment causes temporary changes in the way foods taste. Read on to learn ways to make food taste more desirable. ...more

These skills take practice, and the more you practice them, the more helpful they are. Some people find it helpful to listen to soothing music as they practice. ...more

You have come to the decision with your healthcare provider to try an antidepressant medicine for depression. To take antidepressant drugs medicine safely, you will need some information, which you can find here. ...more

An adjustment disorder is an unhealthy emotional or behavioral reaction to a stressful event or change in a person's life. The response happens within 3 months of the stressful event. ...more

If you have osteoporosis, your bones become porous and weak. As they lose strength, they are more likely to break. People with osteoporosis are particularly at risk for breaking these bones. ...more

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become porous and weak. As they lose strength, they are more likely to break. Bones in the spine, hip, wrist, pelvis, and upper arm are particularly at risk of fracture in people with osteoporosis. ...more

When cancer cells spread to the bone, they can damage the bone and cause many symptoms. Learn more about how this happens, common symptoms, and how this is treated. ...more

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids to help loosen the bowels. If you do not have mouth sores, try warm and hot fluids, including water, to help provide relief from constipation symptoms. ...more

Check with your healthcare provider to see if you can increase the fiber in your diet. If you can, try foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals, dried fruits, wheat bran, and wheat germ; fresh fruits and vegetables; and dried beans and peas. ...more

Your healthcare provider may prescribe a medicine to control your symptoms. Or if symptoms persist, you may need fluid replacement intravenously (IV). It is possible to replace these fluids intravenously on an outpatient basis. When you are having chemotherapy, you should not take any over-the-counter medicines for diarrhea without first talking with your healthcare provider. ...more

During cancer treatment, you need enough calories and protein. But the foods you choose can also help you cope with side effects of cancer and its treatment. Here's what you need to know. ...more

Fatigue can come and go or stay constant for a while. Fatigue from chemotherapy tends to happen a few days after the treatment, peaks, and then gets better before the next treatment. Fatigue from radiation may not happen right away. ...more

Fatigue is a feeling of being tired, weak, or exhausted. It's the most common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment. ...more

If you have mouth problems, eat soft, soothing foods (at cold or room temperature), and puree cooked foods in the blender to make them smoother and easier to eat. ...more

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to treat cancer. The medicines can cause an inflammation of the lining of the mouth. The mouth is lined with mucous membranes. When these are inflamed, it’s called mouth mucositis. ...more

A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube is a feeding tube surgically placed through your belly (abdomen) into your stomach. ...more

After getting a few treatments, some people feel nausea and begin vomiting in anticipation of the next treatment. The reaction is usually caused by something related to the treatment, like the smell of alcohol or the sight of a medical uniform. ...more

Helpful tips on foods to choose if you have nausea and vomiting during cancer treatment....more

Your calcium level can become too high if your cancer has spread to the bones, causing calcium to be released. Or your cancer may release certain hormones that affect the normal systems that control the calcium level in your blood. ...more

Dyspnea is the technical word for difficulty breathing. It's a common symptom in people who have lung cancer or have cancer that has spread to the lungs. ...more

The female hormones estrogen and progesterone promote the growth of some breast tumors. Hormonal therapy may be given to block these hormones from stimulating tumor growth. ...more

When you have cancer, it's important to talk about pain management with your healthcare provider. Even if pain can't be prevented, it can often be reduced or controlled. Here's what you need to know. ...more

The goal of pain control is to prevent pain that can be prevented, and to treat pain that cannot be prevented. It is possible that you will not have pain from chemotherapy treatments. But if you do, you can take steps to relieve it. ...more

Palliative care focuses on improving a patient's quality of life by improving the symptoms of his or her illness, such as pain, shortness of breath, and difficulty sleeping. It's used with a variety of ailments, including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, kidney failure, or congestive heart failure. ...more

Many women have changes in their sex life after cancer treatment. You may have both physical and emotional side effects. ...more

Erectile dysfunction is the inability for the penis to get or stay erect for sex. It's often a side effect of the treatments for prostate cancer. Read on to learn more. ...more

Treatment for cancer can cause many changes that may affect your sexuality. It can also change the physical or emotional closeness you share with another person. Different treatments can cause different physical and psychological changes that can affect how you feel, look, and function. These changes may be temporary, or they may last a long time. ...more

Chemotherapy can affect both the skin and nails. It may cause an increased sensitivity to the sun as well as redness, rashes, itching, peeling, dryness, or acne. Nails may become darkened, yellow, brittle, or cracked, and may also develop vertical lines or ridges. ...more

People often choose to wear wigs, scarves, or hats while or after losing their hair. If this is what you would like to do, pick them out ahead of time and start wearing them before your hair is completely gone. ...more

One common problem in insomnia is that the bed has become connected with things other than sleep. This makes it hard to use the bed for sleep when you want. ...more

One side effect of cancer and cancer treatment is sleeping too much. This is called hypersomnia, meaning too much sleep. ...more

Brain tumors may affect how you think, reason, and remember. Many people with brain tumors also have problems with concentration, language skills, and memory. ...more