During anti cancer treatment (Conventional cancer treatment), it is difficult to protect the healthy cells of side effects caused by the drugs administered. Although the effects of treatment vary according to each patient and the medications used, all cancer patients suffer adverse effects of treatment that affect their skin, look and internal organs. An important part of the work of clinicians and patients is to precisely manage those potential side effects. The role of this article is to summarize the main side effects caused by different types of conventional cancer treatments and potential natural treatment (including nutrition, remedies and immunotherapy). Let’s start with the conventional methods.

There are four (4) types of anti cancer treatment:

Surgery – Surgery, the oldest form of cancer treatment, is used in cancer treatment either to remove only the tumor, or the entire organ. Cancer surgery offers the greatest chance for cure of cancers that have not spread to other parts of the body. However, no matter how successful a surgery can be, it provokes one or all the following side effects: - Risk of wound infection - Damage to internal organs and blood vessels during surgery - Blood clots can form in the deep veins of the legs after surgery, especially if a person remains in bed for a long time - Reactions to anesthesia or other medicines. Although rare, these can be serious because they can cause dangerously low blood pressures. - Problems with other organs, such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys. These are very rare but can happen and can be life-threatening.

Radiotherapy - Radiation therapy is the use of ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It can be administered externally (external beam radiotherapy) or internally (brachytherapy). Unfortunately, radiation can cause severe blood changes including drop in production of new blood cells, nausea, anemia and vomiting. Other short/long-term side effects of radiotherapy may include: - Irritation and burning of the skin - Infertility - radiation to the testicles can cause permanent loss of sperm production - Fatigue is a common effect of radiation. It may be linked to anemia or weakened immune system - Brain disorder - radiation therapy to the brain can cause changes in brain function that can lead to memory loss, lower sexual desire, etc. - Skin disorder - radiation therapy can make your skin become tender or sensitive. The skin may also become dry and itchy. Peeling of the skin may occur. - Second cancers – the radiation itself can cause Second cancers (metastases) - Erectile dysfunction - radiation therapy to the pelvis can damage the arteries and nerves that supply the penis and cause problems with erections

Chemotherapy - Chemotherapy is a systemic treatment, its effects affect both healthy cells as cancer cells. Generally, these effects depend to a large proportion of drugs prescribed and their dosage. The anti-cancer drugs quickly affect cell division. This means that the white blood cells, which fight against infection, are also affected. This combination of factors explains why patients are more prone to infections and fatigue or even anemia during cancer treatment. Similarly, this change of cell division causes hair loss or alopecia. Intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and finally lesions in the mouth (mucositis) can be observed.

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