Side Effects of Chemotherapy on the Lungs

Chemotherapy carries a long list of side effects. In some cases, the side effects can be so uncomfortable that people may wonder if the treatment is worse than the disease. One potentially serious effect is the possibility of lung damage, which is not limited to people receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer.

Identification

• Some drugs used in chemotherapy, especially bleomycin, have the potential to cause permanent lung damage, according to the American Cancer Society.

Effects

• Symptoms that may indicate lung damage include dry cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and, in some cases, fever.

Warning

• In serious cases, pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring of the lungs, can develop. Once scarring has developed, damage cannot be reversed.

Prevention/Solution

• If the chemotherapy drug is stopped early enough, the lung tissue can regenerate, nullifying any damage.

Considerations

• The risk of lung damage from chemotherapy is higher in patients who smoke. In addition, the American Cancer Society reports that the risk of lung damage from chemotherapy is three times greater for patients over the age of 70.

Expert Insight

• According to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, one of the nation's leading centers for cancer treatment and research, pulmonary fibrosis is a potential long-term effect of chemotherapy. The center recommends lung function tests every three to five years after patients complete chemotherapy.