Traditional cancer treatments are designed to damage the DNA of cancer cells to stop their spread. But along with the cancer’s DNA, it can also impact your DNA. While it doesn’t change the genes you were born with, it may cause DNA changes in your cells that are exposed to the treatment.
How can cancer affect DNA?
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy usually work by destroying the DNA of cancer cells to stop them from growing and dividing. But in this process, these therapies cannot distinguish between cancer cells and healthy cells and might also affect healthy cells. Most of the healthy cells repair themselves with time, or die if the damage is too severe. But in some exceptional cases, cells may develop permanent DNA damage.
Do these changes affect your inherited genes?
The changes in your DNA that happen during your cancer therapies occur in your cells that are exposed to treatment. Cancer does not affect the genes that you were born with or make those treatment-related changes inheritable. While some therapies, like hormone therapy, may affect your fertility, they do not typically alter your original sequence.
Are these changes temporary or permanent?
The impact of DNA changes depends on the type of cells that are affected. Most of the time, the DNA damage to your healthy cells is either repaired or removed from your body. But if some damaged cells that have not been repaired stay in your body, then the damage caused to these cells will be permanent. These damaged cells usually have no impact on your health. But in some cases, these damaged cells may lead to the development of a second cancer years later.
What are the possible risk factors?
While the possibility of serious long-term genetic effects from treatment is still low, there can be some potential risks. You may encounter a second cancer years after your first cancer treatment. This is generally caused by DNA changes in a small number of healthy cells. In some exceptional cases, it can also affect your fertility. But the overall risk still depends on the type of treatment you are going through and your current health conditions.
Focusing on recovery
Cancer treatment is designed to save your life. Although it does show its side effects on your body in some way or the other, the possibility of it affecting your genes permanently is very low. With regular monitoring, you can stay on track with your treatment and move ahead to a better recovery.