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: R
- Radioactive iodine therapy for thyroid cancer
- Radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation
- Radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation
- Radiotherapy
- Radiotherapy for brain tumours
- Radiotherapy for brain tumours
- Radiotherapy for breast cancer
- Radiotherapy for cervical cancer
- Radiotherapy for children
- Radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer
- Radiotherapy for metastatic breast cancer
- Radiotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer
- Radiotherapy for mouth, head and neck cancer
- Radiotherapy for uterine cancer
- Radiotherapy for vaginal cancer
- Radiotherapy for vulval cancer
- Radiotherapy masks and other immobilisation devices
- Radiotherapy side effects
- Recurrence: When cancer comes back after treatment
- Research News and Events
- Resources for Funded Researchers
- Returning to work after cancer treatment
- Risk and prevention of bowel cancer
- Risk and prevention of breast cancer
- Risk and prevention of cervical cancer
R
- Radioactive iodine therapy for thyroid cancer
- Radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation
- Radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation
- Radiotherapy
- Radiotherapy for brain tumours
- Radiotherapy for brain tumours
- Radiotherapy for breast cancer
- Radiotherapy for cervical cancer
- Radiotherapy for children
- Radiotherapy for laryngeal cancer
- Radiotherapy for metastatic breast cancer
- Radiotherapy for metastatic prostate cancer
- Radiotherapy for mouth, head and neck cancer
- Radiotherapy for uterine cancer
- Radiotherapy for vaginal cancer
- Radiotherapy for vulval cancer
- Radiotherapy masks and other immobilisation devices
- Radiotherapy side effects
- Recurrence: When cancer comes back after treatment
- Research News and Events
- Resources for Funded Researchers
- Returning to work after cancer treatment
- Risk and prevention of bowel cancer
- Risk and prevention of breast cancer
- Risk and prevention of cervical cancer