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Flu-like
symptoms
What is it?
When the body is exposed to certain medications it is
believed that these medications trigger an immune
system response. This process is similar to the body’s
response when it is dealing with a “flu” virus.
What causes it?
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.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Flu-like symptoms may include:
• fever
• chills and rigors
• muscle aches and pains, headache, general bodily
weakness or discomfort
• fatigue
• loss of appetite
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
• cough
• bone pain
These symptoms usually last for one to three days.
How do we prevent and/or manage it?
There are some simple things you can do to reduce the
impact of these symptoms:
• take paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce fever and
pain as directed by your health care team
• maintain adequate fluid intake
• try to get adequate rest
• if you experience chills, you should put on some warm
clothes, blankets or take a warm bath
When should I seek help from a health
professional?
Flu-like symptoms can also be a sign of infection. If you think
you may have an infection, you should contact your health
care team for advice. In particular if:
• you have a fever greater than 38°C that is new and
not associated with the expected fever related to your
medication.
• you develop flu-like symptoms that are unusual,
unexpected or bothersome
• you experience fatigue that limits your ability to care
for yourself
• you experience increasing shortness of breath with
minimal exertion
Every patient is different, please discuss your own personal
situation with your treating doctor.
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