Patients Receiving Cancer Treatment Want More Side Effects Information, Survey Says

BOSTON (CBS) -- Many patients diagnosed with cancer undergo chemotherapy, radiation, surgery or all three. According to a new survey, some wish they had been given more information about side effects.

Researchers surveyed more than 400 adults. The survey found that while nine in ten patients felt they had made the right decision about treatment, one in three developed side effects they wish they had known more about.

With radiation, patients wished they had known about skin irritation, stomach upset symptoms and fatigue. For patients receiving chemotherapy, they said they wanted more information on nerve damage, stomach upset symptoms and fatigue. And for those who underwent surgery, they wished they had more information on pain, nerve damage and numbness.

Doctors say more in-depth counseling could help better prepare patients for changes in their quality of life.