Long-term effects of treatment

As more New Zealanders survive breast cancer thanks to advances in screening and treatment, there's a greater chance they'll experience long-term or late side effects of breast cancer treatment.

We hear from breast cancer patients about the negative impact side effects have on their everyday lives, from cognitive issues (“chemo brain”) and nerve damage, to pain and lymphoedema. Some might feel that the side effects are just a part of life after breast cancer, others might not connect the symptoms they’re experiencing to their diagnosis or treatment.

This webinar aims to raise awareness for these side effects, as it is currently an under-researched field. Our expert panel will discuss the most common side effects, providing information on the best ways to manage them.

Dr David Porter is a medical oncologist at Auckland City Hospital. He will discuss the wide range of long-term and late side effects that can occur following breast cancer treatment, focussing on the most common ones.

Natalie James is lead nurse at Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. She’ll help you navigate support for these effects with your GP and other health professionals as well as the support available from the BCFNZ specialist nurse team.

Jude McCulloch was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2020 at the age of 43. Two years after finishing treatment, she is still dealing with the lingering effects from surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She shares her experiences and how she manages these long-term side effects.

For World Cancer Day, we launched a new survey to help us better understand the impact of long-term and late side effects. We invited those who have had breast cancer in the past to share their experiences and help us to inform doctors, the Government's Women's Health Strategy, and our own support services to make sure more Kiwis live well after breast cancer.

The results of the survey are discussed during the webinar.