Breast cancer and the long term side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, stretches the emotional well-being to the limit of over 200,000 patients each year in the U.S. alone. When you take into account friends, family and extended family, the number becomes even more staggering. That the breast cancer story doesn't always end with successful treatment, makes it even more difficult to handle.

Shortly after diagnosis the volumes of information to sort through can be overwhelming. But as time moves on, it's important to get the facts about what long-term side effects to watch for after you or someone close to you receives treatment for breast cancer.

Experiences may differ greatly or they may be eerily similar. A co-worker of mine succumbed to breast cancer after it had metastasized to her brain, but the tumors had gone unnoticed since her head had never been scanned. My daughter's lymphoma metastasized to her brain, and because I knew the story of my friend at work, when my daughter first complained of a headache, I insisted the doctors do a brain scan. It saved her life.

History and research suggests that there are reoccurring patterns of long-term effects in women who undergo chemotherapy and radiation to treat breast cancer, and the more information you're armed with, the better equipped you'll be to handle them when or if side effects do occur.

Compassion and a listening ear can go a long way in helping someone cope with the long term effects of cancer treatment. Once a person has received a diagnosis of cancer, throughout treatment there is often a huge network of friends and family to help them through it. But once they've been told treatment is finished and they're in remission, the network can slowly melt away, leaving them feeling abandon. Support is very important to help patients deal with the sometimes difficult side effects that can show up at any time post treatment.

Cancer Backup.org lists some of the following as potential long-term side effects of chemo and radiation for breast cancer. I added a few others:

* Breast changes
* Shoulder restriction
* Cardiac complications
* Lung problems
* Effect on the bones
* Lymphoedema in the arm
* Numbness, pain and weakness in the arm
* Second cancers
* Depression
* Early menopause
* Infertility
* Hot Flashes

Other potential long-term side effects not mentioned above for those who have received radiation to the brain are:

* Memory loss
* Confusion

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