Loneliness   

| Updated 12 Apr 2026

It is very common for people to feel lonely or isolated whilst living with or beyond cancer, whether you have people around you or not. This can be for many reasons, including:  Feeling misunderstood by those around you. Even if you are close to your loved ones they may not be able …
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Fertility

| Updated 13 Jul 2026

Fertility means being able to get pregnant or make someone pregnant. Some cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and some surgeries may impact fertility. It can be difficult to think about fertility and the future at the time of a cancer diagnosis, but it is important to think about this …
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Fatigue

| Updated 13 Jul 2026

What is Cancer related fatigue?  Cancer related fatigue is more than ‘just feeling a bit tired’ it is a physical, emotional and mental exhaustion related to cancer or it’s many treatments. People have described it as   “not the kind of tiredness you can just sleep off”  If you experience fatigue, you are not alone, it can affect up to 90% …
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Physical activity 

| Updated 24 Jul 2026

Being physically active before, during and after cancer treatment can make a big difference to your physical and mental wellbeing. It can also and help you to manage some of the side effects of cancer and its treatments.   What does being active mean?  You don’t need to join a gym to be active. Everyday activities like walking, gardening or dancing all …
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Balance and dizziness

| Updated 12 Apr 2026

Feeling dizzy or unsteady is a common experience for people living with cancer or undergoing cancer treatment. These symptoms can happen for many reasons:  Side effects of cancer treatments or other medications Changes in blood pressure  Fatigue Dehydration Inner ear problems Stress and anxiety  If you are having SACT (systemic anti …
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Sleep 

| Updated 8 Jul 2026

Many people can find that they have difficulty sleeping following a cancer diagnosis and during treatment.    Different people need different amounts of sleep, on average, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night, but anything from six to ten hours is normal. As we get older, we sleep less deeply and wake up more during the night.  Sleeping …
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Weight changes  

| Updated 13 Jul 2026

Many people experience changes to their weight following a cancer diagnosis. This may involve either weight gain or weight loss.  Weight loss can happen because of the cancer itself, or as a result of treatment side effects. These may include changes in taste, reduced appetite, nausea, diarrhoea or constipation.   You can find more information on maintaining your weight during cancer treatment on our healthy …
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Lymphoedema 

| Updated 13 Jul 2026

What is lymphoedema?  Lymphoedema is a build-up of lymphatic fluid under the skin, caused by failure of the lymphatic system. It can manifest as swelling.  The lymphatic system serves many functions: it maintains fluid balance in the body and is part of our body’s defence system to fight infection. It is a widespread network of see-through, fragile vessels that link all parts …
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Cognitive changes 

| Updated 13 Jul 2026

Some people can experience problems with cognition after a cancer diagnosis and during treatment.  Cognition refers to things like memory, the way we think and process information, and planning and organisation of tasks and daily activities.  Many people describe these changes as “brain fog” or “chemo brain”, although these changes are …
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Smoking and Cancer 

| Updated 14 Jul 2026

Stopping smoking has important benefits and many of these happen straight away. It is not easy to quit, but there are lots of resources to make this process easier.   This information from the NHS better health resources describes the changes to your body and the benefits of stopping smoking.  Quit …
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