Urinary symptoms

The urinary tract system contains two kidneys, which filter your blood to remove waste through your urine. The urine remains in the bladder between evacuations (micturition) to eventually be eliminated through the duct known as the urethra.

The destruction of cancer cells increases the amount of waste that the kidneys have to filter, so it is important to provide the amount of liquid required to properly remove the surplus. In addition, some chemotherapies are nephrotoxic, that is to say, they can harm the kidneys when they are filtered.

Helpful tip

Drink as much liquid (water, juice, soup, yogurt, malted milk, etc.) as possible: about ten glasses (two to three litres) per day, unless the medical team instructs you to restrict daily liquid intake (fluid restriction).

Urinary incontinence

Another common side effect is urinary incontinence. This is usually associated with surgical treatment or radiation therapy and mainly occurs in those affected by prostate and bladder cancer. We will not deal with how to manage this adverse effect in this section. However, we invite you to click on the following link (available in French only) for information on the topic: Ne choisissez pas la fuite.