Side effects of cancer drugs
Some cancer drugs can cause tiredness (fatigue). But there are things you can do and people that can help.
Different drugs cause tiredness in different ways.
Many people with cancer don’t tell their doctor or nurse about their tiredness. Sometimes people think they just need to get on with it. Despite it being hard sometimes to treat the actual cause of your tiredness, it is still important to tell your doctor or specialist nurse about it. They can try things to help you.
You might have a blood transfusion if you are feeling tired because you are anaemic.
A drug called epoetin (EPO) can help reduce anaemia in some people. EPO is a manmade copy of a hormone called erythropoietin made by your kidneys. It stimulates the body to make more red blood cells and can reduce fatigue.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends EPO for treating low red blood cells (anaemia) in people with cancer having chemotherapy.
Find out more about blood, bone marrow and cancer drugs
Your cancer treatment can also stop your bone marrow from making white blood cells for a while. This can make you less able to resist infection. It can also make you feel tired.
Tiredness, depression, anxiety and problems sleeping often appear together in some people. Researchers think there is a link between cancer tiredness and depression. Sleeping problems, anxiety or depression may make your tiredness worse. But extreme tiredness can also cause emotional distress in some people.
A short course of sleeping tablets might help. It can help to get you back into your sleeping pattern. Your doctor might suggest anti depressants if depression is causing you sleeping problems. You need to take these for a few months to get the most out of them. Most anti depressants take a few weeks to start to work. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you feel depressed.
Sleeping problems, depression and tiredness can be difficult to cope with. But there are things you can do and people that can help.
Last reviewed: 30 May 2023
Next review due: 30 May 2026
Cancer and its treatment can cause extreme tiredness known as fatigue. There are ways this can be treated.
There are different ways to manage fatigue and the symptoms you might have. It is important to tell your nurse or doctor if you think you may have fatigue.
Cancer drugs have side effects and these can vary from person to person. But there are things that you can do to help you cope.
There are many different types of cancer drugs. Some treat cancer, and others help to relieve symptoms such as sickness and pain. The type of drugs you need for your cancer depends on what type of cancer you have.
Treatments can include surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatments (such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted cancer drugs). Find out about treatments and how to cope with side effects.
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