Asked and Answered

Someone with brain cancer can expect different kinds of symptoms, all of which change as brain cancer progresses. There’s likely to be an overall decline, which affects the body as whole. There also may be an effect on a specific area of the brain or on the whole brain, which may be caused by swelling and the tumor. Different areas of the... 

Leukemia is different from many cancers, as there is no tumor. Rather, the cancerous cells are found throughout the body, in the blood or in bone marrow. Leukemia interferes with the normal production of red cells, white cells, and platelets in the bone marrow. The medications used to treat this disease may also injure the healthy stem cells... 

Someone with lung cancer may have symptoms specifically related to a tumor in the lungs and may have symptoms caused by the general effects of cancer on the body. When people have a tumor in the lungs, they often cough or are short of breath. Some people experience these throughout the illness. For others these may only become a problem as... 

Each person’s disease progresses in its own way, and it’s not always possible to predict what can happen as a disease progresses. Someone with colon cancer may have symptoms specifically related to the tumor in the colon and may have symptoms caused by the general effects of cancer on the body. When cancer spreads to the lungs and liver the... 

One of the most obvious effects of liver cancer is jaundice. This is a yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes, caused by a buildup of bile in the body. Bile contains a pigment called bilirubin that causes the yellow colour. Jaundice is a sign that the liver is not functioning well, and can’t move the bile to the intestine, where it’s normally... 

When cancer spreads to the liver the metastasis may have direct or indirect effects. This depends on the size and location of the metastatic tumor, and ranges from no visible effects to several serious ones. The person may also experience other symptoms caused by the general effect of cancer on the body. The liver is a large organ with a fair... 

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is not a single disease. It’s a complex group of cancers that start in the body’s immune system. The diseases have similarities at the cell level, but they have different effects on the body and show different responses to treatment. A person’s experience with NHL will depend on the type of disease, its location... 

Much of what can be expected during cancer treatment depends on the specific individual. Many treatments place some burden on a person’s body. This is usually temporary, but requires a period of recovery. People who generally are doing fairly well are more resilient and recover more quickly. Those who generally are feeling exhausted and without... 

Each person’s illness and situation is unique, and so the person’s health care team is in the best position to provide specific information about what each person can expect. Some of the symptoms result from the type of cancer and where it’s located. Medications may also cause some side effects. As well, there are some general effects of cancer,... 

Learning about what might be expected as part of living with a disease often helps people feel more prepared or in control. There are many great websites that provide information about the various kinds of cancers, and how those cancers are diagnosed and treated. As you try to make sense of the information you find, it is important to remember...