Steroids during chemo

Hello Manderina,

Thanks for contacting us. I’m Gail, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists.

Steroids are used for several reasons during cancer treatment including helping: 

• To destroy cancer cells and make other cancer treatments more effective
• Prevent or treat an allergic reaction 
• As anti-sickness drugs
• To improve appetite
• To reduce cancer symptoms, such as pain caused by swelling (inflammation) around a tumour
• To treat inflammation caused by cancer treatment.

You can find more information here.

Steroid treatment can cause a build-up of fluid in the body and it is important to contact the Oncology team using the 24-hour number on your Alert card if you:

• are gaining weight 
• have swelling in your face, legs or ankles.

They can give you advice and treatment to help.

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email, webchat or phone. The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm. You can also visit our Online Community, where you can talk to others who have been affected by cancer. 

Best wishes,

Gail

Ref: GH /JH