Managing Side Effects and Supportive Care

What is symptom management?

Symptom management aims to prevent or relieve the side effects of breast cancer and breast cancer treatment (such as pain or nausea).

What is supportive care (palliative care)?

Supportive care (palliative care) is all the care given to improve the quality of life for people with breast cancer (or any serious health condition). It includes symptom management as well as taking care of emotional, social and spiritual needs.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends your health care provider determine your supportive care needs before treatment begins and throughout your treatment [267].

Supportive care is an important part of care for people with all stages of breast cancer.

This page has information on supportive care for people with early and locally advanced breast cancer.

Learn about pain management and other supportive care for people with metastatic breast cancer.

Supportive care for people with early or locally advanced breast cancer

Find information on many supportive care topics including:

• Short-term side effects
• Pain
• Late effects of treatment
• Emotional impact of diagnosis and treatment
• Practical needs  

Short-term side effects

All breast cancer treatments have some short-term physical side effects. However, everyone is different. With any treatment, your side effects may differ from someone else’s.

Before any treatment begins, talk with your health care team about possible side effects and ways to deal with them. Don’t feel you have to endure side effects.

The good news is most side effects can be managed and many can be prevented. Even so, it’s normal to worry.

Learn about possible short-term side effects including (in alphabetical order):

• Breast tenderness, redness or swelling
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Fingernail and toenail weakness
• Hair loss
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Insomnia (sleeping problems)
• Irregular periods or spotting (uterine bleeding)
• Joint pain
• Loss of bone mineral density (may lead to osteoporosis or bone fractures)
• Loss of sex drive
• Lymphedema
• Mouth and throat sores
• Muscle pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Neuropathy (nerve pain or numbness)
• Numbness in the chest area
• Numbness in the arm (after axillary lymph nodes were removed)
• Pain
• Skin irritation (while undergoing radiation therapy)
• Surgical complications, such as infection
• Vaginal symptoms

Learn about possible side effects of different treatments:

• Lumpectomy
• Mastectomy
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy (short-term side effects and late effects)
• HER2-targeted therapy
• Hormone therapy (side effects of tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors and ovarian suppression)
• Immunotherapy
• PARP inhibitor therapy

Learn about possible long-term side effects of treatment.

Talk with your health care team

Once treatment begins, tell your health care team about any side effects you have.

The only way your health care team can help you manage side effects is if they know about them. Don’t think side effects are simply a part of your treatment and you need to be strong and endure them. Even when they’re mild, they can interfere with your daily life. So, be honest and tell them what you’re going through.

Together, you can discuss ways to manage your symptoms. It may help to keep a list of your symptoms to take with you to your appointments. Also note when the symptoms occur, how long they last and if there’s anything that makes them better or worse. For example, what day after chemotherapy side effects tend to occur, the number of days it takes for the side effects to go away and if the side effects occur more often in the morning or at night.

Be sure to let your health care team know how side effects are affecting your daily life (for example if you have trouble getting down the stairs due to joint pain).

Completing treatment

Managing side effects helps you feel better and may help you complete treatment. 

Breast cancer treatment is most effective when all parts of the treatment plan are completed.

Learn more about the importance of following your breast cancer treatment plan. 

Managing pain

Relieving pain is important throughout your breast cancer care. Let your health care team know about any pain or discomfort you have.

The goal of pain management is to give the most pain relief with the least amount of medication (to limit side effects).

For most people, pain from breast cancer treatment is temporary and goes away after treatment ends. Some people, however, can have pain for longer periods of time.

Learn more about managing pain related to breast cancer treatment.

Palliative care specialists

Palliative care and pain specialists (doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses) have special training in pain management and symptom management.

Sometimes a palliative care specialist is part of your treatment team. If not, be sure to ask your oncologist for a referral to a specialist if:

• Your pain isn’t controlled
• You have side effects from the pain medications
• You would like to discuss more ways to manage your pain

Learn more about palliative care specialists and early breast cancer treatment.

Late effects of treatment

Once breast cancer treatment ends, most of the physical side effects of treatment go away.

However, some side effects may be long-term. Others may occur months or even years after treatment ends.

These late effects of treatment vary from person to person, so your experience may be different from someone else’s.

Learn more about possible late effects of breast cancer treatment.

The emotional impact of diagnosis and treatment

After a breast cancer diagnosis, you may feel a wide range of emotions including shock, fear, denial, sadness and anger. It’s common to feel depressed and anxious [264].

Taking care of your emotional well-being during this time is as important as tending to the physical side effects of treatment.

Talk with your health care provider or clinical social worker about how you’re coping. They can help you find ways to improve your emotional well-being. They can also help you find a counselor or support group.

Learn more about:

• Coping with stress
• Depression  
• Fear of breast cancer recurrence (a return of breast cancer)
• Social support and support groups

Social support for people diagnosed with breast cancer

Social support is the emotional support, practical help and other benefits you get from your family, friends and other loved ones. 

You may also get social support from your community including your church, synagogue or other religious organizations.

Many people can expand and strengthen their social support systems by joining a breast cancer support group.

Social support can improve your emotional health. Breast cancer survivors who have a lot of social support tend to cope better than survivors with little support [265-266].

Learn more about social support and support groups.

Social support for family, friends and other loved ones

As with any major illness, breast cancer affects spouses and partners, family members and other loved ones. They may feel many of the same emotions as the person diagnosed: shock, sadness, fear, anger and denial.

Loved ones (especially spouses, partners and children) may also need social support.

Learn more about social support for family, friends and other loved ones.

Find more information for family and friends, including a list of resources.

Susan G. Komen® Support Resources

Do you need help? We’re here for you. The Komen Patient Care Center is your trusted, go-to source for timely, accurate breast health and breast cancer information, services and resources. Our navigators offer free, personalized support to patients, caregivers and family members, including education, emotional support, financial assistance, help accessing care and more. Get connected to a Komen navigator by contacting the Breast Care Helpline at 1-877-465-6636 or email helpline@komen.org to get started. All calls are answered Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m to 7 p.m. ET and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. Se habla español. The Komen Breast Cancer and Komen Metastatic (Stage IV) Breast Cancer Facebook groups are places where those with breast cancer and their family and friends can talk with others for friendship and support. Our fact sheets, booklets and other education materials offer additional information.

Managing practical needs

Throughout breast cancer treatment, you may face many practical challenges.

You must deal with financial issues as well as practical needs, such as help with childcare or getting groceries on days when you don’t feel well.

Financial issues

After a breast cancer diagnosis, dealing with insurance and financial issues can be overwhelming.

Whether you need help going through your insurance plan or financial assistance for prescription drug costs and other expenses, there are resources to help.

Learn more about:

• Insurance
• Financial assistance
• Mastectomy and reconstructive surgery coverage
• Prescription drug assistance

Travel, lodging, childcare and eldercare

Getting to your breast cancer treatments can be hard, especially if you don’t live near the hospital or medical center. It’s OK to ask for help.

There may be resources available if you need a ride to and from treatment or help with childcare or eldercare. Family and friends often want to help but don’t know how. These are great ways for them to get involved.

There may be some programs that help with local or long-distance transportation and lodging (if you need a place to stay overnight during treatment).

There may also be programs to help you with childcare or eldercare costs.

Learn more about:

• Transportation assistance
• Lodging assistance
• Childcare and eldercare assistance

A social worker or patient navigator may be able to help you find resources.

Find information for family and friends and a brochure for helpful tips for family and friends. 

Komen Financial Assistance Program

Susan G. Komen® created the Komen Financial Assistance Program to help those struggling with the costs of breast cancer treatment by providing financial assistance to eligible individuals. To learn more about this program and other helpful resources, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636) or email helpline@komen.org. Se habla español.

 Updated 04/09/24