Are you ever the same after chemo?

There is no "normal" pattern. For some, fatigue gets better over time. Others, such as those who have had bone marrow transplants, may have less energy for years after their final treatment. Some people feel very frustrated when fatigue lasts longer than they think it should and gets in the way of their normal routine.

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Does chemo change you forever?

Most chemotherapy side effects are temporary and disappear once your treatment is over. For some people chemotherapy can cause long term changes in the body months or years after treatment.

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Will I ever feel normal again after chemo?

A return to normalcy is typical, but it takes a while – usually six months or so. “All who have done chemo do finally get back to normal,” Patricia said. “Treatment for breast cancer can take a whole year, but six months after it ends, life comes back – incisions heal, hair grows back, chemo brain fog lifts.”

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Is your immune system ever the same after chemo?

Now, new research suggests that the effects of chemotherapy can compromise part of the immune system for up to nine months after treatment, leaving patients vulnerable to infections – at least when it comes to early-stage breast cancer patients who've been treated with a certain type of chemotherapy.

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Does cancer come back stronger after chemo?

Recurrent cancer may be more aggressive than the original cancer if it's already spread to other parts of the body, or if it's become resistant to chemotherapy. The sooner the cancer returns, the more serious it likely is.

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Cancer Patient Refuses Chemotherapy | Good Morning Britain

36 related questions found

Do you ever fully recover from cancer?

Remission can be partial or complete. In a complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. If you remain in complete remission for 5 years or more, some doctors may say that you are cured. Still, some cancer cells can remain in your body for many years after treatment.

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Which cancers recur the most?

Some cancers are difficult to treat and have high rates of recurrence. Glioblastoma, for example, recurs in nearly all patients, despite treatment. The rate of recurrence among patients with ovarian cancer is also high at 85%.

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What is the life expectancy after chemotherapy?

During the 3 decades, the proportion of survivors treated with chemotherapy alone increased from 18% in 1970-1979 to 54% in 1990-1999, and the life expectancy gap in this chemotherapy-alone group decreased from 11.0 years (95% UI, 9.0-13.1 years) to 6.0 years (95% UI, 4.5-7.6 years).

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How long are you vulnerable after chemotherapy?

People receiving chemotherapy may be at risk for getting infections. You are likely to be at higher risk between 7-12 days after you have received each chemotherapy does–and possibly lasting for 5-7 days, when your white blood cells are at their lowest numbers.

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When is your immune system weakest after chemo?

Chemotherapy treatment will usually involve a number of chemotherapy doses (sometimes called cycles). The period of time beginning 7–12 days after you finish each chemotherapy dose—and possibly lasting up to one week—is when you have the fewest white blood cells in your body.

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How can I rebuild my body after chemo?

The recommendations for cancer survivors are no different from those for anyone who wants improved health: Exercise, eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, get good sleep, reduce stress, avoid tobacco and limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

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How do you rebuild strength after chemo?

Physical Activity and Exercise
  1. Activities that make you breathe harder, such as: Brisk walking (such as power walking or speed walking) Running. Dancing. Swimming. Playing basketball.
  2. Strength training exercises that make your muscles stronger, such as: Push-ups. Sit-ups. Squats and lunges. Lifting weights.

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How long does it take to recover strength after chemo?

One of the hardest things I see people struggling with is “recovery time,” particularly as it relates to fatigue from cancer treatment. The rule of thumb I usually tell my patients is that it takes about two months of recovery time for every one month of treatment before energy will return to a baseline.

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Does chemo age a person?

Cancer treatments can lead to accelerated aging by inciting hallmarks of aging, including telomere attrition, stem cell exhaustion, cellular senescence, DNA damage, and epigenetic alterations [6,7].

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Does chemotherapy decrease quality of life?

Therefore, chemotherapy alters the patient's perceptions of their HRQoL since there is a decrease in global health status/quality of life (QoL) and functional scales such as physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning, body image, sexual function and sexual enjoyment.

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What are the major permanent side effects of chemotherapy?

What cancer treatments cause late effects?
  • Dental problems.
  • Early menopause.
  • Hearing loss.
  • Heart problems.
  • Increased risk of other cancers.
  • Infertility.
  • Loss of taste.
  • Lung disease.

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What should you not do after chemo?

Contact with body fluids after treatment

Because chemotherapy drugs can affect healthy cells, coming into contact with them in various body fluids can be potentially harmful to yourself or others. That's why it's a good idea to avoid contact with body fluids that may contain them.

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Can you live a normal life while on chemo?

Most people have ups and downs during treatment, but support is available. Some people find they can lead an almost normal life during chemotherapy. But others find everyday life more difficult. You may feel unwell during and shortly after each treatment but recover quickly between treatments.

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What cancers are curable?

5 Curable Cancers
  • Prostate Cancer.
  • Thyroid Cancer.
  • Testicular Cancer.
  • Melanoma.
  • Breast Cancer -- Early Stage.

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Does 5 year survival rate mean you have 5 years to live?

The percentage of people in a study or treatment group who are alive five years after they were diagnosed with or started treatment for a disease, such as cancer. The disease may or may not have come back.

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What cancers develop the fastest?

Examples of fast-growing cancers include:
  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • certain breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
  • large B-cell lymphoma.
  • lung cancer.
  • rare prostate cancers such as small-cell carcinomas or lymphomas.

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When do most cancers recur?

Most cancers that are going to come back will do so in the first 2 years or so after treatment. After 5 years, you are even less likely to get a recurrence. For some types of cancer, after 10 years your doctor might say that you are cured. Some types of cancer can come back many years after they were first diagnosed.

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Why do cancers always come back?

A cancer recurrence happens because, in spite of the best efforts to rid you of your cancer, some cells from your cancer remained. These cells can grow and may cause symptoms. These cells could be in the same place where your cancer first originated, or they could be in another part of your body.

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Does life go back to normal after cancer?

When treatment ends, you may expect that life will soon return to normal. Or you may see the diagnosis as an opportunity to make changes to your life. Over time, cancer survivors often find a new way of living. This process is commonly called finding a new normal and it may take months or years.

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Can you live 20 years after cancer?

About 18% of cancer survivors have survived 20 or more years after diagnosis. 64% of survivors are age 65 or older.

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