Muscle Pain (Myalgia) From Breast Cancer Treatment
Muscle pain, called myalgia by doctors, can range from a deep, steady ache to a random sharp jab. You might feel muscle pain in one specific area or all over your body. Muscle pain can be caused by a number of reasons, including infection and various diseases.
Muscle pain is also a possible side effect of breast cancer treatments.
Causes of muscle pain from breast cancer treatments
Muscle pain is a possible side effect of nearly all breast cancer treatments, including:
Muscle pain and weakness after chemotherapy can happen because of nerve damage, which is a side effect of some chemotherapy medicines. Muscle pain after radiation for breast cancer can happen because of a condition called radiation-induced fibrosis — when your muscles feel stiff and tight. If your muscles aren’t moving right, it can lead to muscle pain and weakness. Tamoxifen and other targeted therapies can also cause nerve damage, which leads to muscle pain and weakness.
Other specific medicines may cause muscle pain, including:
bisphosphonates, medicines used to treat osteoporosis
Xgeva (chemical name: denosumab), a medicine used to reduce bone complications and bone pain caused by advanced-stage breast cancer that has spread to the bones
Neulasta (chemical name: pegfilgrastim), Neupogen (chemical name: filgrastim), and Zarxio (chemical name: filgrastim-sndz), medicines used to reduce the risk of infection during chemotherapy
Treatments for muscle pain
Strategies that can help ease muscle pain include:
exercise and stretching
hot and cold packs
soaking in a warm bath
Your doctor also may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medicines to help ease muscle pain.
— Last updated on September 27, 2023 at 6:41 PM