What causes diarrhea in people with cancer?

Everyone gets diarrhea now and then. If you have cancer, the things that commonly cause diarrhea can still affect you. But there are other causes in people with cancer, such as:

• Cancer treatment. Some cancer treatments can cause diarrhea. These include chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy and bone marrow transplants. Surgery can cause diarrhea if certain parts of the intestine are removed.
• Infections. Cancer treatment can make you more susceptible to infections. Those infections can cause diarrhea. And antibiotics used to treat some infections may cause diarrhea.
• Cancer itself. Certain cancers can cause diarrhea. These include neuroendocrine tumors, colon cancer, lymphoma, medullary thyroid cancer and pancreatic cancer.

The duration and severity of your diarrhea depend on what's causing it. Talk to your health care provider about what you can expect. Ask how long the diarrhea may last and what you can do to ease your symptoms.