Most chemotherapy side effects are temporary and disappear once your treatment is over. But at times the treatment may result in long term effects of chemotherapy. It’s not necessary to experience the long term side effects of chemotherapy immediately it may be felt even after months or years of treatment. The long term side effects of chemotherapy are permanent organ damage, development of a new cancer, blood in urine, nerve damage, and delayed growth in children. The long term side effects of chemotherapy may occur when certain drug doesn’t suit the patient or when chemotherapy is given with any other treatment it might not suit the particular patient. When it is found that the drug doesn’t suit the patient and is causing severe long term side effects of chemotherapy than usual side effects the drug prescribe is stopped and an alternative drug is prescribed. For certain long term effect there is a cure like blood in urine.
When a person is undergoing treatment he/she is likely to have reduced immunity following chemotherapy. This is because chemotherapy reduces the white blood cell count. It reduces the production of white blood cells from bone marrow. The individual under treatment is likely to get infected after 7-14 days once he begins the treatment. It is advisable for such patients to avoid getting infected.