There are increasing numbers of people who may survive for many years after they undergone primary cancer treatment. During their survivorship period, they had to face many challenges especially long term and late effects of the treatment. However, there are possibilities some of them may not experience any of side effects or experience only some of the effects. This depends on their body resilience to the treatment.
Long term effects are side effects that occur during cancer treatment and protracted for months or years.
Late effects are side effects that occur after a few months or years later of cancer treatment has ended.
Long term and late effects of cancer treatment may have arisen from:
Surgery
Radiation therapy
Systemic cancer treatments
EFFECT OF SURGERY
Long term effects
Cosmetic effect
Pain
Scarring/adhesion
Systemic effect
Functional disability due to removal of a limb or organ
Late effects
Incisional hernia occurs as an extrusion in the abdomen of the old surgical scar area
Lymphedema can happen due to the damages of lymphatic system during surgery or radiation therapy of cancer treatment. It can cause swelling and feeling of discomfort to the arm or leg
EFFECTION OF RADIATION
Most effects of radiation therapy cause late effects:
Second malignancies (new cancerous cells that tend to be severe and progressively worse. It invade and destroy nearby tissue and that may spread to other parts of the body)
Cataracts
Dry eyes (xerophalmia)
Dental caries
Dry mouth (xerostomia)
Lung disease
Heart problems
Bowel stricture
Bladder scarring
Lymphedema
Bone fractures
Neurocognitive deficits where cognitive function of the brain is impaired. Cognitive refers to high level functions of the brain such as ability to learn and remember information, understand and use language and perform calculations. This may cause difficulty with their everyday activities. Hypothyroidism is the disease state which caused by damage to the thyroid gland due to radiation therapy.
Radiation proctisis which caused from radiation treatments of cervical cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. It is inflammation and damage to the lower parts of the colon.
Problems of reproductive system such as infertility, impotence and premature menopause.
EFFECTION OF RADIATION
Systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and immune therapy that affect the body's whole system can also leave long term and late effects to the patient.
Long Term Effect
Chemo brain after chemotherapy where some patients are said to have smaller brain size in the parts of brain that coordinate memory, planning, and putting thoughts into action.
Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
Kidney failure
Premature menopause
Infertility
Disorders of the nerves (neuropathy)
Long Effect
Second malignancies (new cancerous cells that tend to be severe and progressively worse. It invade and destroy nearby tissue and that may spread to other parts of the body)
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