A comprehensive study of adverse effects of chemotherapy on female breast cancer patients in NORI Cancer Hospital, Islamabad in a developing country.

This article focuses on the prevalence, severity, and impact of symptomatic toxicities affecting various organ systems in female breast cancer patients following systemic chemotherapy at the Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI) Cancer Hospital in Pakistan. The observational study of 253 patients found that adverse effects (AEs) such as hair loss, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, and musculoskeletal pain were common and often interfered with daily activities. Severity of AEs was significantly associated with the number of chemotherapy cycles, disease stage, and positive family history of breast cancer, with younger patients reporting more anxiety. These patient-reported outcomes highlight the importance of tailored management strategies that consider prognostic factors and treatment-related toxicities to improve quality of life in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, particularly in developing country settings.