Effects of cancer

Other symptoms vary depending on where the cancer migrates.

The use of hormone therapy, however, can have adverse side effects that many patients find unpleasant, or possibly, dangerous. There are side effects beyond those listed here that may occur with hormone therapy. Patients should pay attention to their bodies and note any changes they may want to report to a doctor.

Side effects associated with hormone therapy may go away on their own as the body readjusts to the new agents. Patients who find that the severity of side effects interferes with the enjoyment of everyday life should speak with their doctors.

Prostate cancer hormone therapy is a valuable tool in halting the growth of the tumor. Doctors may encourage their patients to stay with hormone therapy to see if the body adjusts and the side effects go away, or they may want to change the medication or the therapy.

Common side effects associated with the use of an anti-androgen include: Constipation or diarrhea Loss of or decrease in appetite Dizziness or headache Swelling of gynecomastia or tenderness in the breasts Trouble sleeping Impotence or decrease in sex drive Sexual side effects associated with anti-androgens are usually temporary and less than those associated with medical castration and surgical castration.

When anti-androgens are used without LHRH agonists or antagonists, or orchiectomy, libido and potency can usually be maintained. Less common side effects of anti-androgen use include: A bloated feeling accompanied by gas or indigestion Confusion Dryness of mouth Flu-like symptoms including: Other uncommon side effects include coughing, hoarseness, fever, tightness of chest, black or tarry stool, chills, depression, numbness or tingling in hands, arms, feet, or legs, dark urine, unusual bleeding or bruising, and pressure in the head or facial swelling.

Patients who experience these symptoms do not need immediate medical attention, but should speak with their doctors. Men who undergo prostate cancer hormone therapy to ablate their testosterone may notice a change in the way facial and body hair grows.

Men, however, will not turn into women, nor will they lose secondary sexual characteristics. Patients who are considering hormone therapy as a prostate cancer treatment should speak with their doctors about the advantages and disadvantages that different LHRH agonist drugs offer.Overview Lung damage is a side effect of some cancer treatments.

This damage may include inflammation, which reduces the amount of oxygen you can absorb, and/or scarring, which reduces the amount of air you can breathe. Late effects of cancer treatment can cause serious, disabling, and life-threatening chronic health conditions that adversely affect the health of aging childhood cancer survivors.

Learn about subsequent neoplasms and the cardiovascular, cognitive, psychosocial, digestive, endocrine, immune, musculoskeletal, reproductive, and urinary late effects of pediatric cancer treatment in this expert.

Dulls Pain Sensations. Morphine, a narcotic, or opioid, pain reliever, binds to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain and emotional responses to pain, according to the American Cancer .

How long these effects last varies from person to person, but they can increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression. Fatigue. Feeling exhausted and lacking energy for day-to-day activities is the most common side effect of cancer treatment.

This is known as fatigue. Most people have at least some side effects during cancer treatment. But many cancer survivors are surprised when they still have side effects after treatment has ended. These are called late or long-term effects.

A late effect is a side effect that occurs months or years after cancer treatment. Many people who have received treatment for cancer have a risk of developing long-term side effects.