Chemotherapy is a common cancer treatment. While targeting cancer, it can also affect healthy cells. This can lead to long-term side effects, appearing months or years after treatment.
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Impacts
Chemotherapy can cause lasting changes in the cardiovascular system, affecting the heart. Certain drugs, like anthracyclines, can cause cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle). This reduces the heart’s pumping ability, leading to heart failure or irregular rhythms.
Lung health can also be impacted. Some drugs, like bleomycin, can damage lung tissue. This can cause pulmonary fibrosis (scarred, thickened lung tissue), impairing breathing. Pneumonitis (lung inflammation) can also occur, leading to persistent respiratory issues and reduced capacity.
Neurological and Cognitive Changes
Chemotherapy can cause long-term nervous system changes, especially in peripheral nerves. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common, lasting side effect, damaging nerves. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness, often in hands and feet.
Patients may also experience “chemo brain” or “chemo fog,” lasting cognitive difficulties. These include memory problems and concentration issues. Processing speed may slow, and multitasking can become difficult.
Reproductive and Hormonal System Effects
Chemotherapy can affect reproductive and hormonal systems in men and women, causing infertility or imbalances. In women, certain drugs can damage ovaries, leading to premature ovarian failure. This can cause early menopause symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness) and permanent infertility.
For men, chemotherapy can affect sperm production. It may reduce sperm count or impair quality, leading to male infertility. Providers often discuss fertility preservation (e.g., egg or sperm banking) before treatment.
Kidney and Bone Health Concerns
Kidneys can sustain long-term damage from certain chemotherapy drugs, known as nephrotoxicity. Drugs like cisplatin can harm kidney cells, leading to chronic kidney disease or reduced kidney function. This can impair waste excretion and fluid balance, requiring monitoring.
Chemotherapy can also affect bone health, increasing the risk of weakening conditions. Patients may develop osteopenia (reduced bone density) or osteoporosis (brittle bones, prone to fractures). This fragility increases fracture risk, and some may experience persistent joint pain.
Elevated Risk of Secondary Cancers
Chemotherapy survivors face an elevated risk of developing a new, unrelated cancer years after treatment. Termed secondary cancer, this arises because chemotherapy can damage healthy cell DNA. This DNA damage can lead to new mutations promoting another malignancy.
Common secondary cancers include blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Solid tumors like sarcomas or certain lymphomas may also appear. Due to this risk, ongoing medical surveillance and a healthy lifestyle are recommended for early detection and well-being.
References
Chemotherapy Side Effects. American Cancer Society. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/chemotherapy-side-effects.html. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer Treatment: Latest Research. National Cancer Institute. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents/2023/cardiovascular-disease-cancer-treatment. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Pulmonary fibrosis and cancer treatment. American Lung Association. [Online]. Available: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pulmonary-fibrosis/related-conditions/pulmonary-fibrosis-and-cancer-treatment. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Mayo Clinic. [Online]. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chemotherapy-induced-peripheral-neuropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20370887. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Chemo Brain. National Cancer Institute. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/brain-nerve-effects/chemo-brain. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Infertility and Cancer Treatment. American Cancer Society. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/fertility-sex-changes/infertility.html. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Bone Health and Cancer. National Cancer Institute. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/side-effects/bone-problems. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Secondary Cancers. American Cancer Society. [Online]. Available: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/factors-at-risk/secondary-cancers.html. [Accessed: July 24, 2025].
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Impacts
Chemotherapy can cause lasting changes in the cardiovascular system, affecting the heart. Certain drugs, like anthracyclines, can cause cardiomyopathy (weakened heart muscle). This reduces the heart’s pumping ability, leading to heart failure or irregular rhythms.
Lung health can also be impacted. Some drugs, like bleomycin, can damage lung tissue. This can cause pulmonary fibrosis (scarred, thickened lung tissue), impairing breathing. Pneumonitis (lung inflammation) can also occur, leading to persistent respiratory issues and reduced capacity.
Neurological and Cognitive Changes
Chemotherapy can cause long-term nervous system changes, especially in peripheral nerves. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common, lasting side effect, damaging nerves. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness, often in hands and feet.
Patients may also experience “chemo brain” or “chemo fog,” lasting cognitive difficulties. These include memory problems and concentration issues. Processing speed may slow, and multitasking can become difficult.
Reproductive and Hormonal System Effects
Chemotherapy can affect reproductive and hormonal systems in men and women, causing infertility or imbalances. In women, certain drugs can damage ovaries, leading to premature ovarian failure. This can cause early menopause symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness) and permanent infertility.
For men, chemotherapy can affect sperm production. It may reduce sperm count or impair quality, leading to male infertility. Providers often discuss fertility preservation (e.g., egg or sperm banking) before treatment.
Kidney and Bone Health Concerns
Kidneys can sustain long-term damage from certain chemotherapy drugs, known as nephrotoxicity. Drugs like cisplatin can harm kidney cells, leading to chronic kidney disease or reduced kidney function. This can impair waste excretion and fluid balance, requiring monitoring.
Chemotherapy can also affect bone health, increasing the risk of weakening conditions. Patients may develop osteopenia (reduced bone density) or osteoporosis (brittle bones, prone to fractures). This fragility increases fracture risk, and some may experience persistent joint pain.
Elevated Risk of Secondary Cancers
Chemotherapy survivors face an elevated risk of developing a new, unrelated cancer years after treatment. Termed secondary cancer, this arises because chemotherapy can damage healthy cell DNA. This DNA damage can lead to new mutations promoting another malignancy.
Common secondary cancers include blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Solid tumors like sarcomas or certain lymphomas may also appear. Due to this risk, ongoing medical surveillance and a healthy lifestyle are recommended for early detection and well-being.