What symptoms and side effects should we expect from the cancer treatment?

YOUNG WOMEN

For young women going through chemotherapy or radiation, the concern is not only the impact of cancer therapy on fertility, but also the impact on her overall health in the long-term.

First, you should recognize that the ovary really has two purposes: (1) to produce eggs for reproduction, and (2) to provide a number of hormones that are necessary for a healthy body. When a girl or young woman undergoes cancer therapy that impacts the ovary, both the eggs and the production of hormones may be affected. Changes in the levels of these hormones can lead to menopause-like symptoms such as weight gain, insomnia, and hot flashes. These symptoms come about not because of the chemotherapy, but because the ovaries have lost the ability to produce essential hormones.

Because cancer therapy may suppress your child’s normal reproductive function, she may stop menstruating during treatment or may experience a delay in starting menstruation after treatment. For some young women, the menstrual cycle resumes once treatment is completed. Others may experience a permanent loss of the menstrual cycle. Being able to think through and cope with the consequences of the loss of normal reproductive function is important and you should consider whether and when to explore this issue with your child.

YOUNG MEN

Cancer therapy may not only harm your son’s future sperm production, but it may cause changes in testosterone levels, which can lead to a lower libido and difficulty having or keeping an erection later in life. While most men do recover normal sperm production and sexual function after cancer treatment, it is important that you and your child anticipate these effects of cancer treatment so that you can logically and sensitively address them if and when they arise.