In serious cases, even a simple cold could be life-threatening for a cancer patient.
This is why it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to manage and prevent these illnesses.
Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any medications to treat your cold or flu symptoms.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
How Does Chemotherapy Increase the Risk of Colds and Flu?
Normally, the cells in your body grow and die in a controlled way.
Cancer cells keep growing without stopping.
Chemotherapy works by killing the cancer cells, stopping them from spreading, or slowing their growth.
When this happens, people experience certain side effects.
Chemo can damage the bone marrow, which reduces its ability to producewhite blood cells.
The flu and COVID-19 are both triggered by viruses, but not the same one.
The flu is sparked by the influenza viruses, and COVID-19 is sparked by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Both infections can cause a fever, body aches, and cough.
COVID-19 can also cause loss of sense of smell and taste.
If you have a bacterial infection, your healthcare provider might prescribe an antibiotic.
Treatment will typically last between seven and 14 days.
Studies have shown that regular exercise can strengthen the immune system in cancer patients.
Get Vaccinated
During chemotherapy, your healthcare provider may recommend that you getvaccinatedagainst the flu and COVID-19.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing infections in cancer patients: Information for patients who are getting chemotherapy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cold versus flu.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Flu symptoms & complications.
National Cancer Institute.Infection and Neutropenia during Cancer Treatment.
American Cancer Society.Managing and treating infections.
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Harvard School of Public Health.Nutrition and immunity.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Cancer diet: Foods to add and avoid during cancer treatment.
