Is chemotherapy working if there are no side effects?

Q: My father had his first chemo treatment a week ago and has not shown any of the side effects we were told to look for. Does this mean the chemo is not working?

A: The presence, or absence, of side effects is not an indication of whether chemotherapy is working. Some people experience no side effects; others have significant trouble with them. Side effects may begin gradually and worsen as treatment progresses, or start out as severe and lessen with time.

Health care providers prepare patients and families by discussing possible side effects. The actual side effects that occur (if any) depend upon the type of chemotherapy drug or drugs, the amount given, and the individual’s own physical response to the medication. Many newer drugs produce fewer or less severe side effects.

--Kathy Newman, RN, BSN

Get acquainted with the possible side effects of cancer treatment and how they can be managed.