Cancerous cells crowd out the normal cells in the bone marrow. Chemotherapy damages normal cells as well as the cancerous cells. The person will be at risk for infection until the bone marrow recovers. The infections can be life threatening. The person will have to avoid sources of infection, such as raw food and people with infections, while the bone marrow is recovering.
Severe anemia can cause other problems such as difficulty breathing.
Red blood cells will be given to correct the anemia until the bone marrow recovers. The person will experience other side effects related to the type of medication administered. Biological response modifiers cause flu-like symptoms. Nausea is common. Hair loss, or alopecia , is another side effect of chemotherapy.