The list of side effects of chemoradiation for myeloma is potentially long and diverse. I say “long and diverse” because many side effects are common and some are rare.
The thing to keep in mind is that if you are a newly diagnosed myeloma patient, you can reduce your risk of all side effects.
I am a long-term myeloma survivor. I have experienced most of the side effects listed below.
What side effects are caused by chemoradiation?
1. Fatigue
- Description: One of the most common side effects. Patients often experience extreme tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest.
- Cause: The body is working hard to heal from the effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
2. Skin Reactions
- Description: Skin irritation, redness, peeling, dryness, or blistering in the area exposed to radiation.
- Cause: Radiation damages skin cells, which can cause irritation or burns.
3. Nausea and Vomiting
- Description: Nausea and vomiting are common during and after treatment.
- Cause: Chemotherapy drugs, and sometimes radiation, can irritate the stomach lining and affect the brain’s vomiting center.
4. Diarrhea or Constipation
- Description: Changes in bowel habits may occur, with some patients experiencing diarrhea while others may experience constipation.
- Cause: Radiation to the abdomen or pelvis can affect the intestines, and chemotherapy can alter bowel movements.
5. Mouth Sores and Dry Mouth (Mucositis)
- Description: Inflammation and sores in the mouth, throat, and esophagus, making it painful to eat or swallow.
- Cause: Radiation to the head and neck and certain chemotherapy drugs can damage mucous membranes.
6. Hair Loss (Alopecia)
- Description: Loss of hair from the scalp and sometimes other areas.
- Cause: Chemotherapy attacks rapidly growing cells, including hair follicles, while radiation can also cause hair loss in treated areas.
7. Appetite Changes
- Description: Patients may experience loss of appetite, changes in taste, or aversion to food.
- Cause: Damage to cells in the digestive tract and the body’s overall response to treatment.
8. Lowered Blood Cell Counts
- Description: A drop in red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (neutropenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia), leading to increased risk of infection, fatigue, and bruising or bleeding.
- Cause: Chemotherapy affects bone marrow, which produces blood cells, and radiation can affect bone marrow in treated areas.
9. Cognitive Effects (Chemo Brain)
- Description: Difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and slower thinking.
- Cause: Chemotherapy and radiation can affect the brain’s function, particularly with prolonged treatments.
10. Increased Risk of Infection
- Description: A compromised immune system due to reduced white blood cell counts makes infections more likely.
- Cause: Chemotherapy weakens the immune system by reducing the number of infection-fighting cells.
11. Difficulty Breathing or Coughing
- Description: Shortness of breath or persistent cough, especially in patients receiving radiation to the chest area.
- Cause: Radiation can damage lung tissue or exacerbate underlying lung conditions.
12. Swelling (Edema)
- Description: Swelling of the arms, legs, or other parts of the body.
- Cause: Radiation and chemotherapy can interfere with the lymphatic system, causing fluid buildup.
13. Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction
- Description: Infertility, decreased sexual desire, or pain during intercourse, particularly in men and women receiving radiation to the pelvic area.
- Cause: Radiation can damage reproductive organs, and chemotherapy can affect hormone levels and reproductive cells.
14. Secondary Cancers
- Description: There is a small risk of developing another type of cancer years after treatment.
- Cause: Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can damage DNA in healthy cells, potentially leading to new cancers.
The most important thing to remember about treatment-related side effects is that they can be reduced or even eliminated by understanding both conventional and non-conventional therapies.
If you’d like to learn more about managing myeloma treatment-related side effects email me at David.PeopleBeatingCancer@gmail.com
Thank you,
David Emerson
- MM Survivor
- MM Cancer Coach
- Director PeopleBeatingCancer
“Side effects, of course, depend on a lot of things, including:
- Your age
- The cancer’s stage
- The length and dosage of treatment
- Your overall health…
Keep track of side effects — during and after treatment. Side effects, no matter when they happen, are an important part of your care, even if they seem insignificant at the time…
“We have patients keep a diary and write down whatever happens,” Hari says. “Let’s say they get diarrhea one day. We don’t know if it’s the chemotherapyor something they ate. But if we see that they get diarrhea only on the day of chemotherapy, then we know it’s the chemo.”
Use whatever is most convenient to keep track: your phone, a notebook (digital or otherwise), or share with your note-taking caregiver.
That’s what Dickey did.
“I would tell my mom and she never forgot,” he says. “She’d remind me to ask doctors at my weekly visit.”
Communicate with your medical team. It doesn’t have to be your doctor.
“The team that’s caring for you can help you deal with some of the issues or concerns and provide reassurance,” Lonial says. “Everybody on your medical team has an area where they’re very good, and sometimes the non-physician can spend more time with you than the physician can.”