Final answer:
Cancer treatment side effects include hair loss, skin dryness, and frailty, increased risk of infection, potential infertility, or reduced fertility due to the damage of rapidly dividing cells, including gametes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The treatment of cancer, particularly through chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can result in various side effects that impact hair and skin. One notable side effect is hair loss, which is not caused by hair cutting but rather occurs because hair follicle cells, which divide rapidly, are damaged during the treatment. This cell damage results in thinning hair follicles that can break off, leading to hair loss. Skin may also become dry and frail, with an increased risk of infection and non-healing wounds, as the treatments affect the skin's ability to renew itself.
The reproductive system is also affected by cancer treatments. Gametes are vulnerable to damage because they are rapidly dividing cells. The effects on the reproductive tract can be temporary or permanent, leading to possible infertility or decreased fertility for both men and women. Therefore, attention must be paid to preserving fertility before initiating cancer treatments that could lead to such adverse effects.