Adverse effects of breast cancer treatment.

As breast cancer outcomes improve and more people with breast cancer survive longer following diagnosis, many survivors must deal with the effects of treatment. Some adverse effects last a short time and have little influence on breast cancer patients' quality of life, yet others can cause long-term complications and add to increased morbidity and mortality among survivors. This article reviews the adverse effects of breast cancer treatments and how they affect the health and quality of life of those receiving treatment. The article also explains how adverse effects can interrupt treatment and how physicians and survivors can manage adverse effects of breast cancer treatment.