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: L
- Laparoscopy and laparotomy
- Laryngeal cancer
- Laryngeal cancer after treatment
- Laryngeal cancer signs and symptoms
- Laryngeal cancer treatment
- Leukaemia
- Life after caring
- Life at home during treatment
- Life during children's cancer treatment
- Life in hospital
- Life insurance and cancer
- Linitis plastica of the stomach
- Liver biopsy
- Liver cancer
- Liver cancer after treatment
- Liver cancer diagnosis and tests
- Liver cancer symptoms
- Liver cancer treatment
- Liver transplants
- Lodge your funds
- Lumbar puncture
- Lumbar punctures for children
- Lung cancer
- Lung Cancer (Getting a diagnosis)
- Lung Cancer (Overview)
- Lung cancer after treatment
- Lung cancer diagnosis and tests
- Lung cancer signs and symptoms
- Lung cancer treatment
- Lymph node biopsy
- Lymph node surgery - RPLND
- Lymph node surgery for breast cancer
- Lymphoedema
- Lymphoma
- Lynch syndrome
L
- Laparoscopy and laparotomy
- Laryngeal cancer
- Laryngeal cancer after treatment
- Laryngeal cancer signs and symptoms
- Laryngeal cancer treatment
- Leukaemia
- Life after caring
- Life at home during treatment
- Life during children's cancer treatment
- Life in hospital
- Life insurance and cancer
- Linitis plastica of the stomach
- Liver biopsy
- Liver cancer
- Liver cancer after treatment
- Liver cancer diagnosis and tests
- Liver cancer symptoms
- Liver cancer treatment
- Liver transplants
- Lodge your funds
- Lumbar puncture
- Lumbar punctures for children
- Lung cancer
- Lung Cancer (Getting a diagnosis)
- Lung Cancer (Overview)
- Lung cancer after treatment
- Lung cancer diagnosis and tests
- Lung cancer signs and symptoms
- Lung cancer treatment
- Lymph node biopsy
- Lymph node surgery - RPLND
- Lymph node surgery for breast cancer
- Lymphoedema
- Lymphoma
- Lynch syndrome