Coping with side-effects of cancer treatment
Tips on managing symptoms and side-effects during and after cancer treatment.
Cancer and cancer treatments can cause a range of side-effects. They can happen:
- During treatment
- A short time after treatment has ended
- Some time after treatment - we have [more information about coping with late side-effects]

Track and report any side-effects
It’s very important to be aware of any changes and let your medical team know about them, even if they happen some time after treatment. There are treatments to help with most side-effects.
Even if a symptom is not troubling you too much, it’s still best to let your medical team know how you’re feeling, as it may be a symptom of something else. For example, fatigue may be a sign that your red blood cell count is low or that your treatment is affecting your hormone levels. If this is the case, you can have treatment to help you feel better.
Keeping track of side-effects: Keep a diary or use a mobile phone app to note how you’re feeling. You can ask your consultant or specialist nurse about this.
Types of side-effects
About suggestions
Cancers starting with: B
- Barium X-ray
- Bereavement support
- Bile duct cancer
- Bile duct cancer signs and symptoms
- Bile duct cancer treatment
- Biopsies for children
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder cancer after treatment
- Bladder cancer signs and symptoms
- Bladder cancer treatment
- Bleeding and bruising
- Bleeding and bruising in children
- Blood cancers
- Blood cancers (defunct)
- Blood clots
- Blood tests for children
- Body image and self-confidence
- Body image and self-esteem after breast cancer
- Bodyweight and cancer
- Bone cancer
- Bone health and cancer
- Bone marrow aspirate/trephine biopsy for children
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Bone pain and weakened bones
- Bone scans
- Bone scans for children
- Bone-strengthening drugs
- Booklet test
- Bowel (colorectal) cancer
- Bowel cancer after treatment
- Bowel cancer screening
- Bowel cancer signs and symptoms
- Bowel cancer surgery
- Bowel cancer treatment
- Brachytherapy for prostate cancer
- Brain biopsy
- Brain tumour signs and symptoms
- Brain tumours
- Brain tumours diagnosis and tests
- Brain tumours treatment
- BRCA and cancer
- BRCA risk management
- BRCA, fertility and family planning
- Breast cancer
- Breast Cancer (Coping with cancer)
- Breast Cancer (Getting a diagnosis)
- Breast Cancer (Overview)
- Breast Cancer (Surviving cancer)
- Breast Cancer (Treatments)
- Breast cancer after treatment
- Breast cancer diagnosis and tests
- Breast cancer signs and symptoms
- Breast cancer treatment
- Breast pain
- Breast prostheses
- Breast radiotherapy side-effects
- Breast reconstruction
- Breathlessness
- Breathlessness and your daily routine
- Bronchoscopy
- Build-up diet for cancer patients
B
- Barium X-ray
- Bereavement support
- Bile duct cancer
- Bile duct cancer signs and symptoms
- Bile duct cancer treatment
- Biopsies for children
- Bladder cancer
- Bladder cancer after treatment
- Bladder cancer signs and symptoms
- Bladder cancer treatment
- Bleeding and bruising
- Bleeding and bruising in children
- Blood cancers
- Blood cancers (defunct)
- Blood clots
- Blood tests for children
- Body image and self-confidence
- Body image and self-esteem after breast cancer
- Bodyweight and cancer
- Bone cancer
- Bone health and cancer
- Bone marrow aspirate/trephine biopsy for children
- Bone marrow biopsy
- Bone pain and weakened bones
- Bone scans
- Bone scans for children
- Bone-strengthening drugs
- Booklet test
- Bowel (colorectal) cancer
- Bowel cancer after treatment
- Bowel cancer screening
- Bowel cancer signs and symptoms
- Bowel cancer surgery
- Bowel cancer treatment
- Brachytherapy for prostate cancer
- Brain biopsy
- Brain tumour signs and symptoms
- Brain tumours
- Brain tumours diagnosis and tests
- Brain tumours treatment
- BRCA and cancer
- BRCA risk management
- BRCA, fertility and family planning
- Breast cancer
- Breast Cancer (Coping with cancer)
- Breast Cancer (Getting a diagnosis)
- Breast Cancer (Overview)
- Breast Cancer (Surviving cancer)
- Breast Cancer (Treatments)
- Breast cancer after treatment
- Breast cancer diagnosis and tests
- Breast cancer signs and symptoms
- Breast cancer treatment
- Breast pain
- Breast prostheses
- Breast radiotherapy side-effects
- Breast reconstruction
- Breathlessness
- Breathlessness and your daily routine
- Bronchoscopy
- Build-up diet for cancer patients