After treatment ends, immune recovery becomes a long-term focus for many cancer patients.
It results from the impact of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy on the immune system.
Patients often feel prone to infections, persistent fatigue, and slow wound healing.
These issues not only increase risks but also prolong recovery time.
Early understanding and management can help rebuild immunity and reduce infections.
After treatment ends, oral mucosal damage and dry mouth are common long-term issues for many patients.
They result from chemotherapy, head and neck radiotherapy, or targeted therapy affecting the oral mucosa and salivary glands.
Patients often feel persistent dry mouth, painful swallowing, altered taste, and recurrent oral ulcers.
These problems not only affect eating and nutrition but also cause pain, infection risk, and low mood.
Early understanding and management can help restore oral comfort and appetite.
Many cancer survivors, after completing chemotherapy or head and neck radiotherapy, often find themselves wondering:
“The treatment is over, so why does everything I eat still taste off, bland, or even metallic — and why can’t I smell things properly anymore?”
Many cancer survivors begin to notice after completing surgery or radiotherapy for breast cancer, cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, prostate cancer, etc., that “my arm feels thicker”, “my leg is swollen”, “clothes feel tight”, or “it feels heavy when moving”.
Medically, this is known as “Lymphedema”, a chronic swelling caused by damage or removal of lymph vessels or lymph nodes during treatment, leading to impaired lymphatic drainage and accumulation of lymph fluid in the tissues.
Lymphedema not only affects appearance and mobility but also brings heaviness, skin tightness, recurrent infection risk, and even impacts psychological and social well-being. It is one of the most overlooked yet most far-reaching long-term side effects after treatment.
Many cancer survivors begin to notice after completing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hormone therapy that “my thinking has slowed down”, “my memory is worse”, “I keep stumbling over words”, or “I can’t focus anymore”.
Medically, this is known as “Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment” (CRCI), commonly called “chemo brain” or “chemo fog”.
This is not simply “getting older” or a “psychological issue” — it is the long-term impact of treatment on brain neurons, synapses, and the blood-brain barrier, temporarily disrupting cognitive function.
These changes can last for months or even years, affecting work, reading, driving, and daily life, leaving patients feeling frustrated and powerless.
Why does recovery feel so slow even when eating well?
Many cancer survivors, after completing their main treatment phase, often find themselves asking the same question:
“The treatment is over, so why does my body still feel like it hasn’t returned to normal?”
One key factor frequently overlooked is the balance of the gut microbiome — a hidden but powerful influence on overall recovery.
Helping you understand “why you still feel completely drained even after treatment ends” — and gentle ways to improve
Many cancer patients enter a phase known as “Cancer-Related Fatigue” (CRF) after completing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery.
Even when the tumour is under control and test results appear normal, patients often feel “no matter how much I sleep, I’m still exhausted”, “always low on energy”, or “even simple household tasks feel overwhelming”.
This is not a matter of “psychological factors” or “not being strong enough” — it is the long-term impact of treatment on the body’s energy systems, nervous system, and immunity, making fatigue the most common and persistent side effect after treatment, affecting quality of life and rehabilitation progress.
Helping you understand “what these changes might mean” — and a gentle reminder not to worry excessively
Pancreatic cancer is one of the relatively high-incidence and poorer-prognosis cancers in Hong Kong, often associated with smoking, long-term alcohol consumption, high-fat diets, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, or family history.
Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer are extremely subtle and frequently mistaken for stomach pain, indigestion, or “stomach gas”, causing many patients to delay seeking medical care.
However, early detection of pancreatic cancer is crucial for treatment success — prompt identification and examination can significantly increase surgical opportunities and survival rates.
The following outlines common early warning signs of pancreatic cancer, aimed at helping you distinguish “normal” from “abnormal”. Please remember: these symptoms do not necessarily indicate pancreatic cancer — most have benign causes. Do not panic excessively; seek medical confirmation for peace of mind.
Folic Acid (also known as Vitamin B9) is an indispensable nutrient in cancer treatment courses. It plays a core role in red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and cell repair. During chemotherapy or radiotherapy, folic acid consumption is extremely high, and deficiency directly exacerbates anaemia, fatigue, and oral mucosal damage.
Many patients develop severe folic acid insufficiency due to treatment-induced intestinal absorption impairment, loss of appetite, and vomiting, which reduces treatment tolerance.
Folic acid is not an “anti-cancer vitamin” but serves as supportive care, helping patients maintain stable blood counts, energy supply, and mucosal repair under high-intensity treatment, allowing them to proceed more steadily and smoothly.
Helping you understand “how selenium can help maintain your immunity and antioxidant protection during treatment”
Selenium is an essential trace mineral that plays a critical role in cancer supportive care, as it is a key component of antioxidant enzymes (such as glutathione peroxidase), helping to reduce treatment-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.
Cancer patients often develop selenium deficiency due to treatment consumption and impaired intestinal absorption, leading to weakened immunity, increased fatigue, and greater cellular damage.
Selenium is not an “anti-cancer mineral” but serves as supportive care, helping patients better endure the burden of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or targeted therapy, maintain tolerance, and improve overall quality of life.