Side effects of lymphoma and treatment
In this section, you’ll find information about common side effects of lymphoma and lymphoma treatment. Your medical team will talk to you about the possible side effects of your particular treatment before you start it.
You might also be interested in our information about lymphoma treatment and our podcast on enhanced supportive care. We also have information and resources to help you to live well, with and beyond lymphoma.
What are side effects?
Side effects are unwanted effects that can be physical, mental or emotional. A lymphoma diagnosis makes it more likely that you will experience side effects. Lymphoma itself can cause changes in blood, and the emotional stress of it can cause side effects that affect day-to-day life.
Treatment destroys lymphoma cells but it can also damage healthy cells, causing unwanted (side) effects. These usually go away in time. Different factors affect which side effects you have, including the treatment types you have, how much and how often. Talk to your medical team about any side effects you experience so that they can offer support and advice to help you to manage them.
Side effects that can affect day-to-day life
Lymphoma can cause side effects that affect your day-to-day life, either as a result of emotional factors or as a direct effect of treatment.
Different treatments affect people in different ways. Your medical team will talk to you about what to expect and give advice about how to manage any side effects you experience.
Some of the more common side effects of lymphoma and lymphoma treatments are:
- Bowel problems
- ‘Chemo brain’
- Dry, sore and itchy skin
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)
- Sickness (nausea and vomiting)
- Sleep problems
- Sore mouth (oral mucositis)
Risk of infection
Lymphoma can increase your risk of infection. It’s important to know the signs and symptoms to look out for, and how to contact your medical team if you need to.
Changes to blood
Lymphoma and its treatment can lead to a shortage of certain types of blood cells or make it more likely that you will have a blood clot. Be aware of the symptoms and risks and when to contact your medical team.
- Anaemia (low red blood cells)
- Blood clots
- Neutropenia (low white blood cells)
- Thrombocytopenia (low platelets)
Fertility
Some treatments can lower your fertility. For females, it can also trigger an early menopause. For both males and females, there are ways of helping to preserve your fertility.
Late effects
Late effects are health problems that appear months or years after treatment. Find out from your medical team about how you can help yourself stay well. They can also give advice about keeping checks on your health and who to contact if you notice any possible signs of late effects.
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