Radiation therapy is a part of cancer treatment though not recommended in some cases. Radiation therapy involves using high doses of radiation to kill the malignant cells or stall their growth. Unfortunately, the therapy also kills or damages some healthy cells adjacent to the cancerous cells. When healthy cells are killed or damaged, it inflicts some adverse effects on the patients. Some of these effects are reversible though some linger for a long time or forever.
Common Side Effects of Radiation
Fatigue is a common side effect of radiation. Most patients feel exhausted and worn out after radiation. They may feel it at once or slowly. The feeling of fatigue differs from one person to another. Therefore, it is very much possible that some cancer patients may feel more or less fatigue than others even if both the groups undergo the same amount of radiation therapy to the same part of their body.
Fatigue apart, there are several other side effects of radiation and these largely depend on the cancer-affected part of a patient’s body. If radiation is recommended, you should talk to the best oncologist in Kolkata at length in order to know the potential side effects of the therapy as well as how to overcome the problems. The commonest side effects of radiation therapy to different parts of the body have been mentioned below:
Sites of Radiation Therapy and Possible Side Effects
Brain:
- Fatigue
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Hair Loss
- Headache
- Blurred Vision
- Skin Changes
Breast:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Edema (Swelling)
- Tenderness
- Skin Changes
Chest:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Cough
- Shortness of Breath
- Skin Changes
- Trouble Swallowing Cough and/or Other Throat Changes
Head and Neck Cancer:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Taste Changes
- Mouth Changes
- Skin Changes
- Less Active Thyroid Glands
Pelvis:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Sexual Disorders (Both in Men and Women)
- Infertility (In Women)
- Urinary and Bladder Changes
- Skin Changes
Stomach and Abdomen:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Urinary and Bladder Changes
- Skin Changes
Rectum:
- Fatigue
- Hair Loss
- Diarrhoea
- Sexual Problems (In Both Men and Women)
- Infertility (In Women)
It takes a few months for healthy cells, which were damaged during radiation therapy, to recover after the treatment is done. Sometimes, the problems persist and don’t improve at all. Sometimes, side effects may show up months or years after the therapy is over. Whether the effects will show up earlier or later depends on the cancer-affected part of the body, other cancer treatments that he/she has undergone, genetics, physical fitness and other factors such as addiction to smoking or alcohol.
When to Consult an Oncologist?
Usually the oncologists prescribe medicines for the side effects of radiation. If the problems are acute and don’t go away in a few months, talk to your oncologist at the best cancer hospital in India. The oncologist may prescribe some additional medicines or change the current medicines to improve your conditions.