Breast Cancer

Home Treatment

In general, healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise can help control your symptoms from breast cancer treatment.²⁰ Even when you are feeling bad, do everything you can to get regular exercise. There's no need to wear yourself out—getting six half-hour walks a week at an average pace is plenty. Walking with a friend can be the best way to stick to a routine. Study after study has shown that exercise like this:

• Improves chances of survival from breast cancer.³⁶
• Helps battle anemia during radiation or chemotherapy.³⁷
• Improves quality of life after breast cancer treatment.³⁸

Home treatment for cancer treatment side effects

During treatment for any stage of breast cancer, you can use home treatment to help manage the side effects that may occur with cancer treatment. Home treatment may be all that you need to manage the following common problems. Be sure to follow any instructions and take any medicines your doctor has given you to treat these symptoms.

• Nausea or vomiting. If you have problems with nausea and vomiting while you are taking chemotherapy or receiving radiation therapy, let your doctor know. Medicines are available to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting that may be caused by treatment. It is important to let your doctor know if you have nausea or vomiting in spite of the use of these medicines. Home treatment for nausea or vomiting includes watching for and treating early signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouth, sticky saliva, and reduced urine output with dark yellow urine. For more information on how to deal with these side effects, see:

  Cancer: Controlling nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.

• Diarrhea. Some chemotherapy medicines can cause diarrhea. Let your doctor know if you have diarrhea while you are on treatment. (Radiation therapy to the chest should not cause diarrhea.) Home treatment for diarrhea includes resting your stomach and being alert for signs of dehydration. Check with your doctor before you use any nonprescription medicines for your diarrhea.
• Constipation. Pain medicines, chemotherapy, and medicines used to treat nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy can sometimes cause constipation. Let your doctor know if you have problems with constipation after surgery or while you are on chemotherapy. (Radiation therapy to the chest should not cause constipation.) Home treatment for constipation includes regular exercise along with getting enough fluids and eating a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, and fiber. Check with your doctor before you use a laxative for your constipation.
• Fatigue. Breast cancer and treatment for it can cause fatigue. The stress of being diagnosed and treated can also make you feel tired. Some fatigue is expected after surgery and during both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Fatigue is often worse at the end of treatment or just after treatment is completed. It is also common for fatigue to last more than a year after breast cancer treatment.³⁹Home treatment for fatigue includes making sure you get extra rest while you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Let your symptoms be your guide, and try to balance exercise with rest. You may be able to stay with your usual routine and just get some extra sleep. Let your doctor know if you are having trouble with fatigue.

Other issues that arise may include:

• Hair loss from chemotherapy. Hair loss can be emotionally distressing. Not all chemotherapy medicines cause hair loss, and some people have only mild thinning that is noticeable only to them. Talk to your doctor about whether hair loss is an expected side effect with the medicines you will receive. Other treatments for breast cancer, including hormone therapy and radiation therapy, do not cause hair loss.
• Lymphedema, which is swelling of the arm. Normally, lymph nodes filter fluid as it flows through them, trapping bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances, which are then destroyed by white blood cells called lymphocytes. Without normal lymph drainage, fluid can build up in the affected arm, and lymphedema can develop. Because lymph nodes are removed from under the arm to help determine the stage of your breast cancer, you can develop lymphedema. Medicines such as tamoxifen, radiation therapy, and injury to the lymph nodes can also cause lymphedema. Not everyone will have a problem with lymphedema. You can reduce your risk of developing lymphedema by protecting your arm on the side where you had surgery and letting your doctor know right away if you have swelling or redness in that arm.

  Lymphedema: Managing lymphedema

• Sleep problems. If you have trouble sleeping, you may find that having a regular bedtime, getting some exercise during the day, avoiding naps, and using other tips to relieve sleep problems may help you sleep more easily. Tell your doctor if you have persistent difficulty sleeping.
• Pain. Not all forms of cancer or cancer treatment cause pain. If pain occurs, many treatments are available to relieve it. Be sure to follow all instructions and take the medicines your doctor has given you to treat pain. You may use home treatment for pain to improve your physical and mental well-being. Be sure to discuss with your doctor any home treatment you use for pain.

Coping with stress

Discovering that you have breast cancer and then having treatment for it can be very stressful.

• You may be able to reduce your stress by talking about your feelings to others. Stress and tension affect our emotions. By discussing your feelings with others, you may be able to understand and cope with them. Learning relaxation techniques may also help you reduce your stress.
• Expressing yourself through writing, crafts, dance, or art is a good tension reliever. Some dance, writing, or art groups that are specifically for individuals diagnosed with cancer may be available.
• Join a support group. Talking about a problem with your spouse, a good friend, or other people with similar problems is a valuable way to reduce tension and stress. Social support is very important both during and after treatment. Talk to your doctor or contact the American Cancer Society to find out about support groups in your area. If you have access to the Internet, you may also find an online support group.
• Your feelings about your body may change after a diagnosis of breast cancer and the need for treatment. Adapting to your body image changes may involve talking openly about your concerns with your partner and discussing your feelings with your doctor. Your doctor may also be able to refer you to organizations that can offer additional support and information.

For more information about how to find support groups and activities, see the Other Places to Get Help section of this topic.

Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, herbs, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and vitamins, are sometimes used along with medical treatment. Some people feel that they benefit from some of these therapies. Before you try a complementary therapy, talk with your doctor about the possible value and potential side effects. Let your doctor know if you are already using any such therapies.

Complementary therapies are not meant to take the place of standard medical treatment, but they may improve your quality of life and help you deal with the stress and side effects of cancer treatment.

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Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW	Last Updated: August 31, 2007
Medical Review:	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Douglas A. Stewart, MD - Medical Oncology
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