Late effects of cancer treatment

What are late effects?

Some people have side effects from cancer treatment that begin months or years after treatment has finished. These are called late effects. Physical late effects may include tiredness (fatigue) or pain. Emotional late effects may include depression or anxiety. Late effects may last for a short or long time. Late effects can be similar to long-term side effects, but long-term effects start during treatment and continue after it ends. 

How common are late effects? 

About 1 in 3 cancer survivors experience a late effect. A lot is already known about the late effects of established treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy (radiotherapy). As new treatments are developed, researchers may also find that they cause late effects.

It’s important to be aware of late effects, as getting help early can make them easier to manage. While the list of late effects (see physical and emotional effects) can seem alarming, you are unlikely to get them all and may not get any of them.

For most people, the benefits of treating the cancer far outweigh the risks of side effects and late effects. Talk to your cancer care team or general practitioner (GP) if you are worried about the risk of late effects, or think you may have a late effect.

Who is at risk of late effects?

Late effects can affect anyone who has had cancer treatment. Your chance of having late effects depends on a number of things, including:

• the type of cancer you had
• your age at diagnosis
• the type and amount of treatment you had
• your health and how active you are before, during and after treatment.

Your experience may be very different from someone else’s, even if they had the same cancer and treatment. Some physical late effects are linked to certain treatments. Emotional effects, such as feeling anxious or depressed, can happen after any cancer treatment.

Your cancer care team can explain your risk of late effects. You can also ask if there are ways to lower your risk. They may suggest regular check-ups to look for signs of late effects.

A survivorship care plan can help you understand late effects and discuss them with your healthcare team.

When to talk to your doctor

See your GP or cancer care team if you have:

New symptoms

If you have a symptom listed in this fact sheet, see your GP or cancer care team as soon as possible. You don’t need to wait for your next appointment. New symptoms can have many causes, but it’s important to get them checked.

Pain that’s not controlled

This might be new pain, or ongoing pain that’s no longer controlled by pain medicine or treatment. 

Trouble eating or sleeping

See your GP if these changes are new and last more than a few days.

Types of late effects

Living with late effects