Can you live normally during chemo?

Most people have ups and downs during treatment, but support is available. Some people find they can lead an almost normal life during chemotherapy. But others find everyday life more difficult. You may feel unwell during and shortly after each treatment but recover quickly between treatments.


Does chemo affect you for life?

The side effects of chemotherapy can linger for months and sometimes years. It depends on your overall health and the type of chemotherapy you receive as treatment. Some complications of chemotherapy are permanent. These can include damage to your respiratory, circulatory, sensory, excretory, and reproductive systems.

Can you live a normal life with cancer?

Some people have cancer that can be controlled with treatment and they can live for a long time. If treatment stops working, the hope may change again. It may be hope for time to prepare family and loved ones who will be left behind, for telling them what they have meant to you and what you hope for their futures.


Do most people survive chemotherapy?

Rates of overall survival were also very similar between the 2 groups. Five years after treatment, the rate of overall survival was 98.1% for those who had chemo and 98.0% for those who did not. Nine years after treatment, the rate of overall survival was 93.8% for those who had chemo and 93.9% for those who did not.

Is chemo worth the risk?

If there's a high likelihood that chemotherapy may get rid of your cancer, that benefit may outweigh possible side effects. Some patients say they actually feel better and have more energy soon after starting chemotherapy because the symptoms of their cancer regress.


What to Expect During Chemotherapy



Which cancers have the lowest survival rate?

Cancer survival rates by cancer type

The cancers with the lowest five-year survival estimates are mesothelioma (7.2%), pancreatic cancer (7.3%) and brain cancer (12.8%). The highest five-year survival estimates are seen in patients with testicular cancer (97%), melanoma of skin (92.3%) and prostate cancer (88%).

How long is the average person on chemo?

A course of chemotherapy usually takes between 3 to 6 months, although it can be more or less than that. The treatment will include one or more chemotherapy drugs. You may have the chemotherapy into a vein (intravenous drugs), or as tablets or capsules.

Can chemo cause sudden death?

TLS was first described in Burkitt lymphoma patients who died suddenly after chemotherapy. TLS usually occurs less than 72 hours after chemotherapy in patients with leukemia and lymphoma, but new therapeutic regimens/methods may alter the time frame of onset of TLS.


Is chemo always successful?

It can shrink a primary tumor, kill cancer cells that may have broken off the primary tumor, and stop cancer from spreading. But it doesn't work for everyone. Some types of cancer are more resistant to chemo than others, and others can become resistant to it over time.

Can cancer spread while on chemo?

While chemotherapy is one of the oldest and most successful ways of treating cancer, it doesn't always work. So, yes, cancer can spread during chemotherapy. Spreading could mean the tumor keeps growing, or that the original tumor shrinks, but cancer metastasizes, forming tumors in other areas of the body.

Can you live 20 years after cancer?

About 18% of cancer survivors have survived 20 or more years after diagnosis. 64% of survivors are age 65 or older.


Do you ever fully recover from cancer?

Remission can be partial or complete. In a complete remission, all signs and symptoms of cancer have disappeared. If you remain in complete remission for 5 years or more, some doctors may say that you are cured. Still, some cancer cells can remain in your body for many years after treatment.

Which cancers are most likely to recur?

Some cancers are difficult to treat and have high rates of recurrence. Glioblastoma, for example, recurs in nearly all patients, despite treatment. The rate of recurrence among patients with ovarian cancer is also high at 85%.

Does chemo affect everyone badly?

Some chemo drugs cause long-term side effects, like heart or nerve damage or fertility problems. Still, many people have no long-term problems from chemo. Ask your doctor if the chemo drugs you're getting have long-term effects.


How do you survive chemo?

10 chemotherapy tips from cancer patients who've been there
  1. Get some rest. ...
  2. Stay hydrated. ...
  3. Eat when you can. ...
  4. Create a sense of normalcy in your routine. ...
  5. Look to your support and care teams to have your back through treatment. ...
  6. Keep things around that bring you comfort. ...
  7. Stay ahead of your nausea. ...
  8. Stay positive.


Does chemo mean death?

In fact, chemotherapy doesn't cause death but it causes side effects on the patients who got an infection because of the low level of white blood cell count. Thanate Dejsakdipon, MD., an oncologist of Vejthani Hospital explained that chemotherapy is a medical treatment that is used to treat many types of cancer.

How can I protect my heart during chemo?

During treatment, eat healthy. Go for a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, some carbohydrates, and protein-rich foods like meat, fish and poultry. Avoid foods with too much salt, added sugar, and saturated fats or trans fats. Eating a balanced, low-cholesterol diet can also help prevent heart disease.


Does chemo extend life expectancy?

While shrinking a tumor can provide some relief from symptoms, it doesn't necessarily prolong life.

Can you be alone after chemo?

Yes. It will take some extra planning and working out who can support you but it's possible to continue living alone when you have cancer. Having cancer and going through treatment raises many challenges and emotions. These may be harder to deal with when you live alone.

How quickly do you recover from chemo?

Most people say it takes 6 to 12 months after they finish chemotherapy before they truly feel like themselves again.


When do oncologists stop chemo?

Both the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative and the National Safety Forum include the discontinuation of chemotherapy within 2 weeks before death as a quality indicator of poor EOL care.

Which cancers spread the fastest?

Examples of fast-growing cancers include:
  • acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
  • certain breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
  • large B-cell lymphoma.
  • lung cancer.
  • rare prostate cancers such as small-cell carcinomas or lymphomas.


What are the 3 most deadliest cancers?

Lung and bronchus cancer is responsible for the most deaths with 130,180 people expected to die from this disease. That is nearly three times the 52,580 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death. Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest cancer, causing 49,830 deaths.


What cancers are incurable?

Jump to:
  • Pancreatic cancer.
  • Mesothelioma.
  • Gallbladder cancer.
  • Esophageal cancer.
  • Liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
  • Lung and bronchial cancer.
  • Pleural cancer.
  • Acute monocytic leukemia.