What is chemotherapy like for breast cancer

You can still have sex during treatment. Most treatment teams will advise using barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms during treatment, and for a few days after chemotherapy is given. Your specialist will usually recommend barrier methods of contraception, such as condoms. The contraceptive pill is not usually recommended because it contains hormones. Emergency contraception such as the morning after pill can still be used. Find out more about how breast cancer and its treatment can affect sex and intimacy and read our tips on how to manage these changes.

Live vaccines include mumps, measles, rubella German measles , polio, BCG tuberculosis , shingles and yellow fever. Live vaccines contain a small amount of live virus or bacteria. If you have a weakened immune system, which you may do during chemotherapy, they could be harmful. Talk to your GP or treatment team before having any vaccinations.

If anyone you have close contact with needs to have a live vaccine speak to your treatment team or GP. They can advise what precautions you may need to take depending on the vaccination. Anyone at risk of a weakened immune system, and therefore more prone to infection, should have the flu vaccine. This includes people due to have, or already having, chemotherapy. Talk to your chemotherapy team or breast care nurse about the best time to have your flu jab.

People having chemotherapy are advised to speak to their treatment team before having a coronavirus Covid vaccination. Find out more about the coronavirus vaccine. Not knowing what to expect can be very distressing.

Many people worry about the side effects they might get. But most side effects can be controlled. You should be told what side effects to report as well as details of who to contact, day or night, if you have any concerns or are unwell.

Your chemotherapy team and breast care nurse can help with any questions you have. You can also call us free on for information and support. On our online Forum , you can find people going through treatment at the same time as you on the chemotherapy monthly threads.

You can also speak to someone who has had chemotherapy through our Someone Like Me service. To hear from us, enter your email address below. Skip to main content. Home Information and support Facing breast cancer Going through breast cancer treatment. Radiotherapy for primary breast cancer Hormone endocrine therapy. Further support 1. Primary breast cancer After surgery Chemotherapy may be used after surgery for primary breast cancer to reduce the risk of cancer returning or spreading.

Before surgery Chemotherapy may be used before surgery to slow the growth of rapidly growing breast cancer. Chemotherapy given before surgery is called primary or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Secondary breast cancer Chemotherapy can also be used to treat secondary breast cancer. Chemotherapy drugs Find out about the drugs used for chemotherapy.

What are the benefits of chemotherapy? Before starting chemotherapy Before starting your treatment most hospitals will arrange a chemotherapy information session.

In the past, vomiting was one of the main side effects but with modern anti-nausea treatments it can be very well controlled.

Some people do not feel sick at all after chemotherapy. If nausea does develop, it usually starts four to six hours after treatment and it may last for hours or several days. Anti-nausea medicines are a routine part of most chemotherapy treatments. The aim is to prevent nausea rather than wait for it to develop. The nurses giving your treatment will explain how these medicines work and how to take them.

If you still feel unwell after taking anti-nausea medicine, speak to your treating doctor or nurse as there may be other things that can help. If necessary, the drug doses may be adjusted to reduce nausea in the next chemotherapy cycle.

Hair loss is a common side effect of chemotherapy. This is a distressing part of treatment for many women. Fortunately, this hair loss is temporary. The effect of chemotherapy varies with different drugs and from one person to another. Hair loss usually starts within a few weeks of the first dose of chemotherapy. The hair may gradually thin over several weeks or may fall out quite quickly. Hair loss can occur on all parts of the body, not just the head.

Hair begins to grow back as soon as the treatment finishes. It grows about one centimetre each month. Sometimes it is a different colour or texture at first. Losing your hair, even when it is temporary, is upsetting. Chemotherapy and breast care nurses are experienced in helping people through this. They can talk to you about the use of wigs, scarves and hats. This may reduce the amount of hair loss experienced. Wig libraries are available in some hospitals.

Chemotherapy can affect your blood count, and you will have regular blood tests while on treatment. There are different types of blood cells that can be affected by chemotherapy.

These include:. Sometimes antibiotic tablets are prescribed to prevent infection. A drop in the number of white blood cells can sometimes be life-threatening because your body cannot fight infections in the usual way. It is important that if you feel unwell between treatment cycles you take your temperature. If this happens, it needs urgent treatment with antibiotics through a drip. If you develop a fever you should call the nurse in the chemotherapy unit, or go to a hospital emergency department if it is a weekend or late at night.

Some chemotherapy drugs can give you a sore mouth, mouth ulcers or infections. It is important that you keep your mouth as clean as possible during treatment. The chemotherapy nurses will talk to you about this and show you what you can do to prevent problems. Usually, this includes using a very soft toothbrush and using a special mouthwash at regular intervals. Chemotherapy may cause changes in the skin, making it more sensitive to the sun. The skin may also darken or become dry and itchy.

Always let your doctor know if you develop these problems. It is important to avoid exposure to the midday sun, and to use sunscreen if you are outside. Sorbolene is recommended for the treatment of dry skin. Chemotherapy often causes periods to stop. This can be a temporary effect or it may be permanent, leading to an early menopause. The likely effect of chemotherapy on fertility is individual and it depends on things such as the drugs that are used, how old you are and what treatments will be used after chemotherapy.

If you think you may want to have a baby in the future, it is very important that you speak to your doctor about this before chemotherapy starts. It is important that you do not become pregnant during or in the few months after chemotherapy treatment. You may wish to use a barrier contraceptive method such as condoms while you are on chemotherapy and for at least a year afterwards.

Your doctor will discuss this with you. Indigestion is often made worse during chemotherapy. Powered by Formstack. Was this article helpful? Can we help guide you?

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