Late effects of cancer treatment

Late effects are side effects that do not go away after cancer treatment. They can also be side effects that do not happen until months or years after treatment.

What are late effects?

Although your cancer treatment has finished, you may still be coping with some side effects.

Side effects usually go away after treatment finishes. But some take weeks or months to improve. Sometimes, certain side effects may become permanent. Others may also develop months or years after treatment. These are called late effects of treatment.

Some people may have ongoing treatment, such as hormonal therapy or other types of anti-cancer drugs. In this situation, you may still be dealing with some ongoing side effects.

Always tell your GP, cancer doctor or nurse about side effects or any symptoms you have. There is usually something they can do to improve them. They can talk to you about ways to manage your side effects.

Will I have late effects from my treatment?

Your cancer team can tell you about the risk of any late effects of your treatment. They can tell you which signs and symptoms to look out for. You can ask them whether there is anything you can do to reduce the risk of these happening. They may also tell you if there are any regular tests you can have to find problems early.

Tell your cancer team if your side effects do not improve after treatment, or if you get new signs or symptoms. If needed, they can arrange tests to check your symptoms.

Possible late effects include the following. 

  • Lymphoedema
  • Effects on the heart and lungs
  • Effects on the bones
  • Effects on the head and neck
  • Effects on the bowel and bladder
  • Second cancer
  • Sex and fertility

Talking to your doctor

Always let your cancer doctor or nurse know if:

Some late effects may be similar to symptoms you had when you were diagnosed with cancer. It can be frightening to have symptoms after treatment ends. You may worry that the cancer has come back.

Your cancer team will assess your symptoms and explain whether they could be caused by the treatment. You may need tests to check for other causes, such as the cancer coming back or a new cancer. Sometimes, symptoms are caused by other conditions not related to the cancer or its treatment.

Remember that you can arrange to see your cancer doctor or specialist nurse in between appointments. You can also contact your GP at any time.

Support from Macmillan

Macmillan is also here to support you. If you would like to talk, you can do the following:

What you can do to reduce the risk of late effects

Your cancer doctor or nurse can tell you if there is anything you can do to help reduce the risk of certain late effects. This could include:

We have more information about beginning to recover.

Related video

About our information

This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer.

  • References

Date reviewed

Reviewed: 01 February 2024
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Next review: 01 February 2027
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Trusted Information Creator - Patient Information Forum

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