side effects of radiotherapy

They understand how distressing it can be and can support you and discuss your options with you. They may give you tips, such as eating frequent small meals instead of 3 large meals, or refer you to a dietitian. This tends to start 1 to 2 weeks after treatment begins. Fatigue can also be caused by travelling to treatment and appointments. This is more likely to happen if the treatment area is near your stomach, or if your brain is being treated. However, he was treated in 1973, when doses of radiotherapy were much higher than they are today. It may be possible to reduce your risk of lymphoedema by looking after your skin and doing regular exercises. Scaring from radiotherapy may cause nerve damage in the arm on the treated side. Radiation to the brain can cause these short-term side effects: Headaches Hair loss Nausea Vomiting Extreme tiredness (fatigue) Hearing loss Skin and … Short-term side effects of radiotherapy. Menu If you do get it, treatment for lymphoedema can often help keep the symptoms under control. Your doctor will discuss this with you before you start treatment. Radiotherapy can cause a range of side effects, including tiredness and sore skin in the treatment area. All you need to continue to feel beautiful and well in your body! Tell your doctor if your symptoms have not improved after a few weeks, or if you notice blood in your poo. Find out about the side effects of external radiotherapy for breast cancer and how to cope with them. Radiotherapy can cause side effects. The effects can start after a couple of weeks of treatment. They continue to get worse during the treatment and after the treatment has finished. A few weeks after treatment they start to get better. Speak to your care team if you're struggling to cope emotionally. But the chance of this happening is small, and the benefits of treatment generally outweigh the risk. But it's important to try to eat healthily and maintain your weight during treatment. Mild side effects were defined as the occurrence of: nausea, dizziness and/or vertigo, new persistent headaches, and seizures (seizures were scored as a side effect only if they appeared for the first time or after a seizure-free period of at least 6 months). Side effects of radiotherapy. Side effects only affect the part of the body that is treated. Each person experiences different side effects. The risk of late side effects depends on the area treated as well as the radiation … Fatigue is perhaps the most common side effect of radiation therapy. In some people, radiotherapy can make the skin sore and red (similar to sunburn), darker than normal or dry and itchy. The radiographers will give you lots of support and advice to care for and manage the side effects. Radiotherapy Sore skin. The cancer support charity Macmillan Cancer Support has a directory of support groups. This improved precision can be used to minimize the radiation dose to normal tissue thereby reducing side effects, but can … Next review due: 25 February 2023, women's sex life and fertility after radiotherapy, men's sex life and fertility after radiotherapy, washing your skin every day with mild, unperfumed soap, patting your skin dry instead of rubbing it, applying moisturiser to your skin every day, not using perfume, perfumed soaps or talcum powder on the area, not shaving the area if possible – if you need to shave, use an electric razor instead of wet shaving, wearing loose-fitting clothes made of natural fibres, and avoid tight collars, ties or shoulder straps, using a high-factor sunscreen (SPF 30 or above) to protect your skin from the sun, avoid doing tasks or activities that you do not feel up to, do light exercise, such as going for short walks, if you're able to – this can boost your energy level, but be careful not to push yourself too hard, ask your friends and family for help with everyday tasks, the inside of your mouth feeling sore – as if you have burned it by eating very hot food or drink, discomfort when eating, drinking and/or talking, stiffening and narrowing of the vagina – your care team may suggest using vaginal dilators (devices you insert into your vagina) to prevent this; having sex regularly may also help, pain when ejaculating – this should pass a few weeks after the treatment ends. side effects of whole brain radiation therapy may not be noticeable until a few weeks after treatment begins. Although this often reduces the unwanted side effects of radiotherapy, we still need to further improve patients' quality of life and to escalate radiation doses to tumors when necessary. Late side effects of radiation therapy may be permanent. Tell your care team if you notice any soreness or changes to your skin. They can occur in any normal tissue in the body that has received radiation. Radiotherapy can slightly increase your risk of developing another type of cancer in the years after treatment. They may refer you to a physiotherapist, who can recommend exercises for you to try. During radiation therapy, your body uses more energy to heal itself. patients. Acute Side Effects of Radiotherapy •Depends on the part of the body treated •The effects are cumulative with most significant side effects occurring near the end or just after the treatment course •Side effects usually resolve over the course of a few weeks Page last reviewed: 25 February 2020 Avoiding spicy, salty or sharp foods can also help. Early and late side effects may include any of the following: What causes the side effects of radiation therapy? Radiation can destroy or harm healthy tissues during treatment. This may cause side effects to happen anywhere in the body where radiation therapy is given. The most common early side effects are fatigue (feeling tired) and skin changes. In women, there's a risk that radiotherapy could cause: Cancer Research UK has more information about women's sex life and fertility after radiotherapy. • Whilst side effects of nausea, vomiting and skin erythema are common, new techniques are reducing toxicity. Brain radiotherapy side effects Radiotherapy to the brain can cause side effects such as sickness and hair loss. Hair loss. Ask your doctor if this is a risk before starting treatment. You can also call the free Macmillan support line: 0808 808 00 00 (every day, 8am to 8pm). Symptoms include tingling, numbness, pain, and weakness. Thus, we set out to analyze the quality of websites in German and English language providing information on side effects of radiotherapy in breast cancer patients. Joining a cancer support group may also help. The best candidates for SBRT are people with well-defined, small tumors who cannot have conventional surgery.1 SBRT is mainly used to treat small primary (original) tumors but is increasingly considered for people with oligometastases (a small number of metastatic tumors).2 It's important to remember that you only have side effects in the area you are having radiotherapy to. Side effects may get worse straight after treatment before they start to get better. Many people having radiotherapy feel tired (fatigued) a lot of the time or become tired very easily from doing everyday activities. Some side effects occur in the days or weeks immediately after having radiotherapy. Mucositis usually gets better a few weeks after treatment finishes, although sometimes a dry mouth can be a long-term problem. Talking to other people in a similar situation can often reduce feelings of isolation and stress. Nowadays, thanks to the developing computer technology, the target focused machines, the treatment success increases and the side effects are gradually decreasing. Subsequently, therapeutic side effects are also among the common search topics . Side Effects of Radiotherapy. This usually starts during treatment and can continue for several weeks or months after treatment finishes. Radiotherapy has some long term side effects, such as hair loss, skin changes and fibrosis. Tell your care team if you do not feel you're eating enough. Find out about the possible side effects you might have during or after radiotherapy to the pelvic area or tummy (abdomen). The side effects of radiation therapy in the treatment of bladder cancer depends on the dosage and the area undergoing treatment. Talk to your care team if you find losing your hair difficult to cope with. One man thought that his treatment had caused adhesions, and that his large intestine had been 'welded' to his stomach. Although radiotherapy is well tolerated by most patients, some experience radiation-induced side effects, the severity and frequency of which can be reduced by modern, more precise therapies, such as particle therapy and advanced image-guided technologies. They can offer support and discuss possible treatment strategies. Not everyone feels tired during radiotherapy treatment, but many people do. Generally, side-effects, apart from hair loss, will gradually disappear within around 6-12 weeks. Radiation therapy, also called radiotherapy, is the branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of cancer by delivering high-energy beams directly to a tumor, or intended target. Your team plans your treatment carefully to reduce your risk of side effects. If you have radiotherapy as your first treatment and your cancer comes back or spreads, it might not be possible to have surgery afterwards. If it becomes damaged, you may experience pain and swelling. Your doctor, specialist nurse or radiographer will help you to manage any side effects you have. You may decide you want to wear a wig if you lose the hair on your head. Photons (Radioactive sources like Radium, Cobalt, Iridium, Iodine, etc. Swallowing problems usually improve after treatment stops. You will also be given written information about the side effects relevant to your treatment. The side effects will depend on the type of radiotherapy treatment, the part of the body that is being treated and how much treatment is received. You should stop feeling sick soon after your treatment finishes. Read more about treatments for swallowing problems. About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since 2010. Or call our specialist nurses on our free Support Line. The side effects of radiotherapy are dictated by which tissues receive a substantial dose. What’s Radiation Therapy Treatment delivered with Ionizing Radiation It can be delivered with 1. Hair loss is a common side effect of radiotherapy. This is known as mucositis. Ask your care team to show you exactly where your hair is likely to fall out. Other options include headwear such as headscarves. Side Effects Of Radiotherapy. Find out more about these side effects and how to cope. This can cause some side effects, such as: sore, red skin; feeling tired; hair loss in the area being treated; feeling sick; losing your appetite; a sore mouth; diarrhoea Conclusion • Radiotherapy remains a key tool in the treatment of breast cancer and in reducing the incidence of recurrence. Tell your care team if this affects you, as you may need to make some changes to your diet, such as eating soft or liquid foods. Radiotherapy can cause side effects, although many of these can be treated or prevented and most will pass after the treatment stops. The most common side effects are a general sensation of warmth in your body and/or a metallic taste in your mouth However, some people can experience side effects. For some men, it may take longer for these to settle. Occasionally, radiotherapy can cause more serious side effects. Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK, Questions about cancer? Patients who undergo radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma tend to suffer from chronic sinusitis. Relevant acute side effects can pose an imminent threat for patients undergoing planned radiotherapy. High-precision radiotherapy forces one to choose which organ or functional organ substructures should be spared. They may recommend painkillers or a special mouthwash that can help. It usually starts a few days after treatment begins and may get a bit worse as treatment continues. Macmillan has more information about managing sickness and vomiting. Radiotherapy to your chest can irritate your food pipe (oesophagus) which can temporarily make swallowing uncomfortable. In some people, it may cause some loss of movement in the arm and shoulder. Radiation therapy treats many types of cancer effectively. Feeling exhausted and lacking energy for day-to-day activities is a common side effect of radiation therapy. Close menu. They may suggest: Skin problems usually settle within 2 to 4 weeks of treatment finishing, but sometimes your skin may stay slightly darker (like it's tanned) than it was before. Call freephone 9 to 5 Monday to Friday or email us, Abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy side effects. This review presents these side effects and their management. 31. Radiotherapy to your head or neck can make the lining of your mouth sore and irritated. It's most common in the arms or legs, but it can affect other areas, depending on the part of your body that was treated. The peak reaction of radiotherapy occurs 10-14 days after treatment finishes. There are many different side effects of radiotherapy. Find out more about the general side effects of radiotherapy. You may also be prescribed medicine to reduce the discomfort and in a few cases you may need a temporary feeding tube. Tiredness. Radiotherapy works because it has the greatest damaging effect on rapidly dividing cells such as tumour cells. Radiotherapy can damage your body's lymphatic system, which is a network of channels and glands that form part of your immune system (the body's defence against illness). Contact your care team if you suddenly feel very tired and out of breath. Hair loss can be upsetting. The effects of radiotherapy continue developing, and it may take a further couple of weeks to several months for you to feel normal, depending on the area of the body that has been treated. Side effects of radiotherapy include skin reactions, breast swelling and tiredness. Side effects occur because radiotherapy temporarily damages some healthy cells, as well as destroying cancerous ones. This table lists some common side effects of radiation therapy but you are unlikely to experience all of them. This is known as lymphoedema. Side effects depend on the type of cancer, its location, the radiation therapy dose, your general health, and other factors. It's difficult to predict what side effects you'll get. But long term effects can continue on for a lot longer and sometimes might be permanent. Side effects vary from person to person and depend on things such as the part of your body being treated and the type of radiotherapy you have. Side effects depend on: the part of your body being treated; the dose of radiotherapy; how quickly the healthy cells are able to repair the damage; Radiotherapy affects different people in different ways and it's difficult to know exactly how you'll react to the treatment. Everyone reacts to radiotherapy differently and many people have hardly any side effects. Occasionally, some side-effects can be … Read about the possible side effects of having radiotherapy to your head or neck and how to manage them. Tiredness (Fatigue) It is common to feel tired towards the end of radiotherapy treatment and after radiotherapy finishes. These side effects are usually mild, and the team looking after your child’s care can give you advice on how to manage them. One of the jobs of the lymphatic system is to stop fluid building up in your body. But there are usually treatments and ways to help manage these. Ask your care team if you're at risk and what you can do to help avoid it. The side effects of radiation therapy often relate to the type of cancer and the part of the body treated, so it can be useful to read about the type of cancer you have.Or you can call 13 11 20 to learn more.. Benefits & Side Effects. Some people feel sick during, or for a short time after, radiotherapy treatment sessions. For many people the side effects of radiotherapy wear off within a few weeks of the treatment ending, and they can go back to a normal life. As well as killing cancer cells, radiotherapy can damage some healthy cells in the area being treated. The British Association of Skin Camouflage can also help. A cough and breathlessness happen in some people who have radiotherapy to the chest area but this is not common. The problems are due to changes in the lung tissue called chronic radiation pneumonitis. They might start many months or a few years after treatment. This can be a sign of a lack of red blood cells (anaemia), which may need to be treated. proctitis (rectal inflammation), cystitis (bladder inflammation), urinary or rectal bleeding, narrowing of the rectum or urethra, chronic diarrhea or urinary frequency or urgency, or development of an ulcer in the rectum. As time goes by, the Side-effects of radiotherapy for children. The therapy radiographers who operate the radiotherapy machines are highly skilled professionals trained to give information, support and advice on how to manage side effects. Diarrhoea should disappear within a few weeks of treatment finishing. Generally, the more immediate side-effects will gradually disappear within 6-12 weeks after treatment finishes. Radiotherapy can sometimes make your joints and muscles in the area being treated feel stiff, swollen and uncomfortable. Find out more about radiotherapy side effects. Early and late side effects may include any of the following: Fatigue or loss of energy Pain in the area of the body that is being treated We know it’s a worrying time for people with cancer, we have information to help. They can prescribe anti-sickness medicine to help. Symptoms depend on the area treated. Tell your care team if you get diarrhoea. It can be caused by a number of things. However, these side effects disappear soon after treatment ends. Other early side effects usually are related to the area being treated, such as hair loss and mouth problems when radiation treatment is given to this area. Disclosures None . Late side effects can take months or even years to develop. Medicine is available to help relieve it. In some people, radiotherapy can make the skin sore and red (similar to sunburn ), darker than normal or dry... Tiredness. During treatment, your body uses a lot of energy dealing with the effects of radiation on normal cells. Ask your care team if there's a chance it could affect you. How long will the side effects continue? Information about the possible side effects of radiotherapy treatment to your chest area, including sickness, swallowing problems and breathing changes. Read more about what happens during radiotherapy. During SBRT, several beams of high-dose radiation are delivered at different angles with the aim of completely eradicating the targeted tumor. Once the whole course of treatment is complete, you'll have regular check-up appointments to monitor the effects of your radiotherapy treatment. Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is a treatment that uses radiation to destroy cancer cells with high-energy radioactive rays. Side effects usually last for a few weeks after your treatment has finished, but can sometimes last longer. The possibility of long-term side effects depends on the type of cancer and its size and position. So here are our little tips to prevent and relieve possible pain and other side effects of radiotherapy. Fatigue is one of the most common side effects of radiation therapy. It usually happens after a few weeks of radiation therapy and can get worse as treatment goes on. Diarrhoea is a common side effect of radiotherapy to the tummy or pelvic area. Having radiotherapy can be a frustrating, stressful and traumatic experience. For example, conventional radiotherapy to lumbar spine vertebral metastases will usually involve irradiation of the bowels, resulting in side effects related to … If you have any questions about side effects or how to manage them, speak to your doctor or nurse. Radiotherapy can cause side effects such as bowel, urinary and erection problems, as well as tiredness and fatigue. But like other cancer treatments, it often causes side effects. These side effects present difficult challenges to the patients and their caregivers and require life-long strategies to alleviate their deleterious effect on basic life functions and on the quality of life. Some common side effects are: Fatigue; Hair loss; Loss of taste; Vomiting; Tissue inflammation; Cancer; Skin irritation; Urinary problems; Nausea; Diarrhea; Hormone problems; X-rays and gamma rays are human carcinogens. It's natural to feel anxious and to wonder if your treatment will be successful. This means that side effects can continue for several weeks after treatment finishes. Radiotherapy can have an effect on your sex life and fertility, especially if your lower tummy, pelvic area or groin is treated. Occasionally, hair loss can be permanent if you have a high dose of radiotherapy. Short-term side effects from radiation therapy include nausea, fatigue, mild skin reactions, hair loss, upset stomach, and neurologic symptoms. Your hair will usually start to fall out 2 to 3 weeks after treatment starts. Radiotherapy can cause a range of side effects, including tiredness and sore skin in the treatment area. Another suffered a bowel obstruction due to the radiotherapy, and had to have a temporary ileostomy. X-rays are most commonly used one, but other types of energy, such as protons, can also be used. These complications tend to be worse when there is an administration of chemotherapy with radiation. Serious side effects are very rare and experts agree that the benefits of radiotherapy in reducing the chances of breast cancer returning outweigh the risk of possible side effects. Radiotherapy to the breast or under the arm can cause hardening of the tissue. This is known as fibrosis. This can develop many years after your treatment. Side effects of radiotherapy Possible side effects of radiotherapy. Radiation therapy is a common form of treatment for cancer today. Synthetic wigs are available free of charge on the NHS for some people, but you'll usually have to pay for a wig made from real hair. Find out more about the general side effects of radiotherapy. Radiotherapy to the brain can cause side effects such as sickness and hair loss. Radiotherapy can sometimes cause other long-term side effects, which can develop gradually, months or sometimes years after the treatment. Exercising and stretching regularly can help to prevent stiffness. Objectives Describe common side effects of Radiation Therapy Discuss the management of these side effects Identify late effects and management thereof . But unlike hair loss during chemotherapy, it only causes hair loss in the area being treated. Feeling sick and tired during radiotherapy can make you lose your appetite, which could lead to weight loss. Tell your care team if joint or muscle stiffness a problem. Ask your care team about the side effects you might get. ; Having chemotherapy at the same time as radiotherapy is called chemoradiation. But for some people radiotherapy can cause long-term side effects. Radiotherapy prevents cancer cells from multiplying and destroys them with radiation, but it sometimes has a few side effects (which are becoming increasingly rare!). Side effects The side effects of radiotherapy usually peak up to two weeks after treatment has finished. They can include: Skin issues; Vomiting and nausea Tell your care team if you feel sick during or after treatment. If you're working, you may want to ask your employer for time off or to let you work part-time until your treatment has finished. Side effects of radiotherapy can be short or long term. It should start to grow back a few weeks after treatment finishes, although sometimes it may be a slightly different texture or colour than it was before. Symptoms tend to happen within a couple of weeks of treatment starting and can include: Tell your care team if you have any of these problems. Learning to cope with fatigue is important during cancer treatment, and a combination of cancer treatments (i.e., radiation and chemotherapy) can leave patients extremely tired and exhausted. In men, there's a risk that radiotherapy could cause: Cancer Research UK has more information about men's sex life and fertility after radiotherapy. It may be some time before you know whether the treatment has worked. Short term side effects such as tiredness will improve a few weeks after treatment. • As research in this field progresses, radiotherapy will undoubtedly continue to improve. However, it can also affect normal cells within the treatment area. Read our information about coronavirus and cancer. Stress and anxiety can also increase your risk of depression. Pelvic radiotherapy can cause side effects during and after treatment.The side effects you have may depend on: the area of your pelvis having treatment; whether you have external or internal radiotherapy; other cancer treatments you are having, such as surgery, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

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