Morrone Rode

Professor Orlando Rodríguez

Composition and Style. 2SA
16 June 2023
Side effects of cancer
Have you ever wondered what a person with cancer goes through or what
chemotherapy entails? Of course, the worst effect is death. Last year, more than 19 million
cases of cancer were diagnosed worldwide and ten million more died. Data indicate that 20%
of the population suffers from some form of cancer. And it is among the leading causes of
death in the world. But by way of introduction, let's remember that cancer occurs when a cell
is abnormal or has aged, usually the cell dies. Cancer arises when something goes wrong in
this process, causing the abnormal cells to reproduce and the old cells do not perish as they
should. These changes can be caused by genetic factors but are also encouraged by exposure
to some external agents.
Nevertheless, Cancer treatments can have many side effects, whether from
chemotherapy, damage from antineoplastic drugs, or when organs are removed during
surgery. The severity of side effects, or how bad they are, varies greatly from person to
person and with different drugs and types of treatment. They have side effects because they
impact on both malignant and healthy cells. Therefore, by acting on healthy cells, they cause
damage to them and organ function, including lifelong damage. Among the most frequent
effects produced by the treatments or by the cancer itself are: pain, tiredness, fatigue,
tendency to bruise and bleed easily, nausea and vomiting, changes in appetite, constipation,
weight loss, depression, hair loss, anemia, effects on the nervous system (burning, weakness,
imbalance), changes in thinking and memory, among many others. All these effects make
daily activities more difficult and reduce the quality of life.
Nowadays, many more drugs are available to alleviate side effects than in the past.
The prevention and treatment of side effects is called palliative or supportive care. It is an
important part of cancer treatment at any stage. As a remarkable note, detection of cancer at a
late stage and lack of access to diagnosis is very common, especially in low and middle-
income countries; the lack of attention to side effects in any sense is much greater. Doctors
and scientists are always working to develop drugs, drug combinations and treatments with
fewer side effects. We can only support the promotion of ways to reduce the global
magnitude of this disease.