How to Reduce Cancer Treatment Side Effects
Cancer treatment side effects can include fatigue, nerve pain, nausea, immune suppression, organ damage, anxiety, and long-term quality-of-life problems. This page summarises evidence-based complementary strategies that may help reduce treatment-related side effects during and after chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and recovery.
Complementary therapies to relieve treatment side effects
This 2019 Study Review concluded that complementary therapies appear to be beneficial in reducing side effects and raising the quality of life of cancer patients.
This 2019 Systematic Review,12 trials reported beneficial aspects of complementary therapies on the overall survival of cancer patients.
How to reduce Chemotherapy side effects
Science-backed tips to improve chemo effectiveness, reduce treatment side-effects and prolong survival.
How to reduce chemotherapy side effects and improve treatment tolerance
How to reduce Surgery side effects
Science-backed tips to reduce complications, reduce side-effects, reduce metastasis and prolong survival
How to reduce Surgery side effects and complications
How to reduce Radiation therapy side effects
Science-backed tips to improve its effectiveness, reduce treatment side-effects and prolong Survival
How to reduce Radiation treatment side-effects and protect vital organs
Manage your physical pain
Pain is common in cancer patients. It can be caused by cancer treatment or a combination of factors.
Explore ways to manage Physical Pain during and after treatment
Manage anxiety & stress
Patients living with cancer feel many emotions, including anxiety and distress. This can affect quality of life
Explore ways to manage cancer-related Anxiety and Stress
Tip: Stay Hydrated and Monitor your Homocysteine levels.
Being dehydrated during cancer treatment can make side effects become even more severe. Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation, and Venous Catheterization increase the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia development, which is strongly associated with poor survival in cancer patients.
Last updated January 2026