Most cancer patients know that chemotherapy weakens their immune
systems, putting them at risk for viral and bacterial infections.
A month or two after chemo ends, however, most people assume their
immune system has returned to normal. New research out of the U.K. now
suggests otherwise, at least when it comes to early-stage breast cancer
patients who’ve been treated with a certain type of chemotherapy.
In a small, observational study, conducted at the University of Leeds
and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, researchers found that the
effects of chemotherapy can weaken part of the immune system for up to
nine months after treatment, leaving patients vulnerable to infections.
The study also demonstrated that smoking exacerbates this effect.
“This study has demonstrated that the adaptive immune system is
altered following chemotherapy for at least nine months post-therapy.”
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