Malignant Lymphoma Chemotherapy: Understanding Side Effects & Management

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system. While chemotherapy is an effective treatment for lymphoma, it poses a risk of certain side effects.

Significance

• While the side effects of chemotherapy for lymphoma are unpleasant, they are typically only temporary and disappear after treatment ends.

Types of Side Effects

• Lymphoma chemotherapy side effects include decreases in white blood cell levels, nausea, diarrhea, mouth soreness or ulcers, hair loss and fatigue.

Features

• If lymphoma chemotherapy decreases the amount of infection-fighting white blood cells, there is also an increased risk for developing serious illnesses, course of treatment, such as pneumonia or sepsis.

Risks

• Lymphoma chemotherapy may increase your risk of developing other types of cancer like leukemia or heart disease later in life.

Considerations

• Infrequently, lymphoma chemotherapy causes early menopause in women or a permanent halt in the production of sperm in men. This has the potential to cause permanent infertility in either sex.