What are the side effects of treatment?
A. It is hard to limit the effects of therapy so that only cancer cells are destroyed. Because treatment often damages healthy cells and tissues, it can cause unpleasant side effects. The side effects of cancer treatment vary, depending on the type of treatment. Also, each woman reacts differently. Doctors try to keep side effects to a minimum, but problems may occur. The consequences of curative surgery can be psychologically devastating, as vulvar surgery can result in lifelong anatomic alterations. Sexual dysfunction is common because of loss of clitoris in some clinical situations and in general because of alteration in body image. Lower extremity lymphedema (leg swelling) can occur, causing difficulty walking, pain, recurrent infections and disfigurement. Therefore, all therapy includes pretreatment counseling about sexual and physical function. If the cancer has spread outside the vulva and the other female organs, the doctor may take out the lower colon, rectum or bladder (depen
If surgery is performed as treatment, it’s possible to become impotent as a result of the operation. With radiotherapy, you may experience tiredness, diarrhea, and some nausea, however, these are temporary and will no longer be present when the treatment is finished. Impotence, however, is experienced long-term for about half of the individuals who have radiotherapy.
A. It is hard to limit the effects of therapy so that only leukemia cells are destroyed. Treatment also damages healthy cells and tissues; this causes side effects. The side effects of cancer treatment vary. They depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Also, each person reacts differently. Side effects may even be different from one treatment to the next. Doctors try to plan the patient’s therapy to keep side effects to a minimum. Doctors and nurses can explain the side effects of treatment and can suggest medicine, diet changes or other ways to deal with them. Chemotherapy: The side effects of chemotherapy depend mainly on the drugs the patient receives. Side effects may vary from person to person. Generally, anticancer drugs affect dividing cells. Cancer cells divide more often than healthy cells and are more likely to be affected by chemotherapy. Some healthy cells may also be damaged. Healthy cells that divide often, including blood cells, cells in hair roots and cel
