Common Side Effects After Chemotherapy for Oral Cancer

Side effects of chemotherapy depend on the type and amount of drugs you’re taking. In some cases, based on the chemotherapy drugs you take and on the medicines your doctor prescribes to ease side effects, you may have very limited side effects, or none at all. ¹

The side effects vary from person to person. Here is a list of some of that are possible.^{1, 2}

• Increased risk of getting infections

• Bruising

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Sores in the mouth

• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, and talking

• Less energy during and for a while after treatment, called fatigue

• Hair loss

Except for hair loss, many of these side effects can be controlled. ² Tell your doctor or nurse about any changes or side effects that you notice. They can suggest things you can do to make yourself more comfortable. Most of these problems will go away or get better between treatments. You’ll stop having most side effects within a few weeks after your treatment end. ²

¹ “What Are Common Side Effects?” American Cancer Society, December 9, 2005. www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_2_2X_What_Are_Common_Side_Effects.asp?sitearea=MBC Accessed 2008.

² “Side Effects of Cancer Treatment.” National Cancer Institute. U.S. National Institutes of Health. www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/oral/page10 Accessed 2008.