Patients may feel better if they decide how to handle hair loss before starting treatment. Hair loss is a temporary condition and hair will begin to grow back after the chemotherapy treatments have ended. Loss of fertility may be permanent or temporary depending on the drugs used and the patient's age. For men, sperm banking before treatment may be a choice. Women's menstrual periods may stop and they may have hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Periods are more likely to return in young women.
PAP smears after chemotherapy may look abnormal. Routine PAP smears should be delayed for 6 months after completing chemotherapy. If you have specific questions about your prescribed chemotherapy, please feel free to ask your doctor or nurse.