Some chemotherapy drugs can damage the nerves that send signals between the central nervous system and the arms and legs. This is called peripheral neuropathy. Symptoms include tingling (“pins and needles”), numbness or pain in your hands and feet, and muscle weakness in your legs.
That increased to 48 percent with cumulative chemotherapy exposure. Patients also demonstrated a 5 percent reduction in walking speed after three cycles of chemotherapy. “This is not simply a quality of life concern — CIPN can impact a patient's ability to receive treatment at all, limiting the potential for a cure.
Persistent cramping of the leg and other muscles is a common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment, especially at night, which may affect sleep. A muscle cramp or spasm is a painful tightening of a muscle.
Tumor cells commonly metastasize to bone in advanced cancer to disrupt normal bone remodeling and result in morbidity that includes muscle weakness.
Chronic pain
Nerve changes may be due to cancer pressing on nerves or due to chemicals produced by a tumour. It can also be caused by nerve changes due to cancer treatment. Chronic pain continues long after the injury or treatment is over and can range from mild to severe. It can be there all the time.
Bone cancer can affect any bone, but most cases develop in the long bones of the legs or upper arms. The main symptoms include: persistent bone pain that gets worse over time and continues into the night.
Mesothelioma causes chemical imbalances in the body that interfere with muscle function. This can lead to muscle weakness. Cancer can spread and metastasize into muscle tissue or other sensitive tissues.
In addition, chemotherapy itself can cause muscle weakness and this can persist for months or years after treatment, causing problems such as fatigue and falls which can lead to fractures and increased mortality. Muscle weakness can occur in the absence of weight loss or in the context of significant muscle wasting.
You might notice an improvement in cancer symptoms, such as less pain, reduced lymph node swelling, and improved energy levels. If you use topical chemotherapy on skin lesions, the area might feel irritated and look red and swollen for the first few weeks. These are all signs that chemotherapy is working.
Chemotherapy can damage cells in the mucous membrane so they become inflamed (a condition called mucositis). This can lead to painful ulcers, bleeding and infection. Mucositis is usually temporary and goes away a few weeks after treatment.
Chemotherapy into the arm or leg is also called regional chemotherapy. It's a way of having chemotherapy into one arm or leg, without the drugs circulating through the rest of your body. Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells.
Chemotherapy can cause fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, bowel issues such as constipation or diarrhoea, hair loss, mouth sores, skin and nail problems. You may have trouble concentrating or remembering things. There can also be nerve and muscle effects and hearing changes. You will be at increased risk of infections.
Around the third day following a chemotherapy treatment, some people may experience flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and pains. If you experience these aches, you can take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol or Advil. If necessary, contact your doctor for stronger medication.
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a side effect of certain chemotherapy drugs. Edema is the build-up of fluid in the tissues and often occurs in the extremities like the legs and feet.
People will often experience shaky or weak legs when dealing with vascular issues in the leg, like deep vein thrombosis or blood clots. Clots are very serious if untreated because they could break off into the bloodstream and travel to an artery in the lungs, blocking blood flow.
Sudden leg weakness can be a cause for concern and should prompt immediate medical attention. Some causes of sudden leg weakness include stroke (due to a decrease in oxygen reaching parts of the brain), spinal cord damage, or a pinched nerve coming out of the spinal cord.
Difficulty walking is a common symptom caused by a brain tumor, and may occur if any of the following symptoms are present: Weakness in one foot/leg or both feet/legs. Change in sensation (burning, pins and needles) or numbness in one leg or both.
Bone metastasis can weaken bones. This puts your bones at risk for breaking. In some cases, a break (fracture) is the first sign of bone metastasis. The most common sites where bones may break are the long bones of the arms and legs, and the bones of the spine.
Bone pain. Pain caused by bone cancer usually begins with a feeling of tenderness in the affected bone. This gradually progresses to a persistent ache or an ache that comes and goes, which continues at night and when resting.
Signs of skin cancer on the leg may include: Dry, scaly patches that are reddish or pink in color. Small, raised bumps that can range from pearly translucent to red. Growths with raised edges.