© 2023 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Patient and Family Education Committee. Revised 11/2023. Page 1 of 2 Why are some cancer patients more likely to fall? People with cancer may be at a higher likelihood for falls than the general population due to the side effects of certain cancer-related treatments. Your cancer treatment might cause: • Peripheral neuropathy, or an increased tingling, burning and loss of feeling in your fingers, feet, and legs. Peripheral neuropathy can make it easier to fall and harder to hold onto railings. • Vision changes that can make it harder to see where you’re moving, changes in depth perception, or tripping hazards in your path. • Increased tiredness (or fatigue) from cancer treatments or from changes in blood counts. • Generalized weakness caused by changes that the cancer may be having on your body, or by your treatment. It is common to be more tired or feel like it’s harder to move your arms and legs, which can make you more likely to fall. • Dehydration as a side effect of nausea and diarrhea sometimes caused by cancer treatment. This can lead to feeling dizzy and lightheaded, increasing your risk for falls. o To offset dehydration, your care team may tell you to drink more fluids. This is important but may also increase your risk for falls by increasing the number of times you need to walk to a bathroom. Tell a member of your cancer care team right away if: • You fell in the past month. • You feel unsteady. • You feel dizzy. • You have difficulty getting up from a sitting position. • You have difficulty seeing or hearing. • You have new feelings of weakness, or heaviness in your legs and feet. How can I prevent myself from falling at the clinic or hospital? • Wear shoes with good support and laces, straps, or buckles. Do not wear sandals or shoes which lack heels. Do not wear sandals (such as Crocs or flipflops). • Bring your walker or cane with you everywhere you go. • If you’re at Dana-Farber and leave your walker or cane at home, tell your cancer care team. • If you’re having trouble walking, ask a staff member for help. • Wheelchairs are available to any patient to use when at the clinic or hospital. • Be mindful that the seating and bathrooms in the clinics may be unfamiliar to you. The toilets may be higher or lower than what you’re used to at home. • Never lean on an IV pole or use it for support. Preventing Falls
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