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Long-term side effects of chemotherapy
By Mayo Clinic staffOne side effect that may not go away is infertility, which sometimes results from chemotherapy in premenopausal women. Some anti-cancer drugs damage ovaries so that they fail to produce hormones. This may cause typical symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. Periods may become irregular or stop (amenorrhea), making pregnancy impossible.
If you continue to menstruate, you may still be able to get pregnant even during treatment. But because the effects of chemotherapy are dangerous to the fetus, it's important to talk with your doctor about birth control options before treatment begins. After treatment, some women regain their ability to become pregnant, but in women 35 and older, infertility is more likely to be permanent.
In rare cases, chemotherapy causes heart damage and triggers a secondary cancer, such as cancer of the blood cells (leukemia). Women who do go into menopause early may have a higher risk of the bone-thinning condition osteoporosis. These women should have periodic bone density tests and may consider treatments to prevent bone loss.
Chemotherapy before breast cancer surgery Short-term side effects of chemotherapy
