Cancer: How best to look after the body during and after chemotherapy?

Following the news of her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, Catherine, Princess of Wales recently released a personal update about her treatment, expressing relief that her course of chemotherapy was now complete.

Millions of people across the world receive chemotherapy each year – and it’s likely to increase. A 2019 study estimates the number of patients needing chemotherapy will rise by 53% from 9.8 million in 2018 to 15 million in 2040.

So, how best to look after your body during and after the treatment?

Along with surgery and radiation, chemotherapy is one of the most commonly used treatments for cancer. It aims to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing them or stopping them from dividing.

But chemotherapy does not differentiate between cancerous and healthy cells, so it’s associated with a variety of side-effects including fatigue, hair loss, mouth sores, nausea and vomiting, infections, memory and concentration problems – and emotional issues, from mood changes to anxiety and depression.

Chemotherapy can also have a long-term impact on the body. Late effects can include neuropathy (nerve damage), heart complications, and immune system suppression – all of which can occur months or even years after treatment.

Management and maintenance

Undergoing chemotherapy is physically exhausting and mentally draining – and some...

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