Living With the Side Effects of Radiation in Cancer Treatment

Cancer is a dreaded disease. It makes its appearance as harmless symptoms and by the time the doctors make a definite diagnosis, it may have reached an incurable stage. Cancer treatment is very complex and expensive, as well as strenuous on the body and mind. If you notice even the slightest health issue becoming chronic, you must report it to your physician and undergo appropriate screening to rule out cancer. If detected in time, cancer can be cured. Along with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and hormone therapy have all proven to be successful for cancer treatment. During radiation, high energy rays are used to kill the cancer cells of a specified area. Radiation is generally given externally by a machine that aims the rays at the area where the tumor is located. Patients need not stay in the hospital for this. They can come to the hospital regularly for radiation sessions. For internal radiation, which is also called implant radiation, patients need to stay in the hospital when the radiation level is highest. This is because wires, needles or catheters containing radioactive substances need to be placed directly in the tumor or as close to it as possible. Once the implants are removed, or the radioactivity of permanent implants has come down to a safe level, the patient is allowed to leave the hospital. Radiation is a completely painless cancer treatment, though it does have some side effects. Some effects occur during and immediately after radiation. These are called acute effects. On the other hand, late effects of radiation are the ones which build up slowly and don’t cause conspicuous changes. Acute Effects of Radiation Nausea is among the most commonly experienced symptom during and after radiation. Eating salty food, having smaller meals and consuming more fluids can help. Your oncologist may also prescribe medication to check nausea. You will also notice hair loss but only from the area that gets radiation. There is no fear of losing scalp hair unless you are getting radiation on your head. Fatigue is also a common symptom and it is advisable to take enough rest and plan your regular activities such that you can maintain a relaxed pace through the day. Radiation affects the lymph nodes and bone marrow, resulting in a drop in the platelet count. Taking scheduled intervals during the treatment will help bring the platelet count to normal. Your skin may also develop a reaction when exposed to radiation for significant duration. It heals with time but you must remember to leave the area open and not expose it to harsh sunlight or chemicals from deodorants and perfumes. Similarly, mucous membranes of mouth, esophagus, bowel and bladder can also get affected by radiation and cause hoarseness, cough and diarrhea. Medication and dietary changes can help you check these symptoms. Late Symptoms of Radiation Radiation damages some bone marrow cells also and rarely may result in leukemia after many years of radiation treatment. Besides, radiation may damage chromosomes, causing failure in conception. These symptoms are very rare and even if they do occur the magnitude is negligible. It is important to keep in mind that cancer is more lethal compared to the side effects which are only temporary. It is better to deal with the side-effects rather than avoid cancer treatment