When the body is exposed to certain medications it may trigger an immune system response. This process is similar to the body’s response when dealing with the influenza (commonly known as flu) virus.
Flu-like symptoms are commonly associated with biological therapies, such as the interleukins, interferons and monoclonal antibodies, but they can occur with some chemotherapy drugs.
Symptoms can be more severe when higher doses are administered.
Flu-like symptoms are more likely to occur if biological therapy is given along with chemotherapy.
There are some simple things you can do to reduce the impact of these symptoms:
Flu-like symptoms can also be a sign of infection. If you think you might have an infection, it’s important to talk to your care team for advice. This is particularly important if:
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