Side Effect: Tremors

What are Tremors?

Tremors are rhythmic, involuntary shaking or movement of body parts, such as from the hands, arms, head, or legs. Tremors can be mild or severe and can affect a person’s daily activities and quality of life.

What do Tremors look like?

Common symptoms of tremors may include:

Who gets Tremors?

Patients with cancer can develop tremors as a result of chemotherapy treatment or the disease itself. Chemotherapy drugs that cause peripheral neuropathy are a common cause of tremors. Tremors can also be a symptom of another type of movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia which can be caused by medications commonly prescribed for mood, nausea, such as Compazine (prochlorperazine), or from Pseudopephedrine (Sudafed®) found in cold and allergy medication.

Other causes of tremors include:

How to prevent Tremors

How to treat Tremors

Treating tremors in patients with cancer depends on the cause.

References

1. Agarwal S, Biagioni MC. Essential Tremor. [Updated 2023 Jul 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Tremor. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. Retrieved March 28, 2024.

3. Stone JB, DeAngelis LM. Cancer treatment-Induced Neurotoxicity: A Focus on Newer Treatments. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. 2016;13(2):92-105.

4. Cornett EM, Novitch M, Kaye AD, et al. Medication-Induced Tardive Dyskinesia: A Review and Update. Ochsner J. 2017;17(2):162-174.

Created: April 3, 2024 Updated: April 3, 2024