To counter such arguments, some industry spokespersons have tried to point out that more people are surviving cancer rather than dying from it. That may be true in many cases, but it's only part of the story. While the physical problems survivors must endure frequently stem from the cancer itself, just as often they are a result of the treatment. For instance, surgery to remove a tumor may also impair nearby organs. Likewise, radiation therapy can damage surrounding tissue and cause hormonal changes.
Chemotherapy can be toxic to the heart, liver, lungs, nervous system, and other organs.
Patients surviving one cancer have almost twice the risk of developing a second cancer as the general population has of developing a first. Children under age 15 who have survived cancer have eight times the risk. The effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments are likely important factors, the NCI admitted.