Weight gain

Some patients find their weight does not change during treatment, they may even gain weight. This is particularly true for breast, prostate and ovarian cancer patients taking certain medications or who are on hormone therapy or chemotherapy.

Breast cancer patients with a primary diagnosis of cancer may be different. Over half of them may actually gain weight rather than lose weight during treatment. Because of this, many of the recommendations for breast cancer patients do emphasize a lower fat, reduced calorie diet similar to those provided to patients after cancer treatment has been completed. Weight gain may also be the result of increased appetite and eating extra food and calories.

Sometimes, weight gain happens because certain anticancer drugs can cause your body to hold on to excess fluid. This condition, when the weight gain comes from the extra water, is called oedema.

Source: National Cancer Institute

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