While radiation therapy is great at killing cancer cells, it can also affect healthy cells — meaning that many patients experience side effects from radiation treatment.
Here, we’ll go into common side effects that some patients experience, and give you some tips on how to manage them. Side effects vary depending on which type of radiation treatment you’re getting.
We will cover side effects from:
Although you won’t feel anything during the actual radiation treatment, you may begin to notice side effects as your treatment progresses. Most patients begin to experience side effects within a few days, but most are temporary and will go away within a few weeks of your treatment finishing. However, some patients develop late side effects months, or even years after treatment ends.
Side effects can include:
Radiation can irritate the lining of the bladder, which can cause urinary changes — such as needing to go to the bathroom more frequently, or a burning sensation when you pee. These side effects often go away within several weeks of finishing treatment, but in the meantime, you can manage them by:
This is probably one of the most common side effects of pelvic radiation. Many people develop diarrhea and experience some level of discomfort while pooping. It’s common to feel cramping. You may need to go to the bathroom more frequently, and with greater urgency. You might also feel like you need to go, but not be able to poop.
These symptoms should go away within 2 to 4 weeks after finishing treatment, so it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing these symptoms longer than that.
Here are some tips:
Many people feel tired and fatigued during radiation, although this should go away within several weeks of finishing treatment.
Here are some tips:
Many patients experience changes to the skin in the area treated with radiation. Your skin may change color, become dry, itchy, or flaky — or even blister or peel. These changes should go away within a few weeks of treatment ending.
Here are some tips:
Pelvic radiotherapy can cause bones in the pelvis to weaken, and can cause small, hairline cracks to form. These cracks are called pelvic insufficiency fractures, and can occur some time after treatment ends.
This can cause pain when walking or going up stairs. If you’re having bone or pelvic pain several weeks after finishing treatment, talk with your doctor. Your doctor can prescribe medications to help with pain and strengthen bones.
Your doctor may need to schedule a DEXA scan to check bone density. It may be a good idea to see if you can get a density scan before treatment, so they can note any changes. You may need periodic DEXA scans after treatment is complete.
Pelvic radiation can affect your fertility and sexual health, for both men and women.
Pelvic radiation causes scarring and damage to the vaginal walls, which can affect sexual health. The most common symptoms women experience are loss of libido, vaginal dryness, pain during penetration, and a narrowing or shortening of the vagina (called vaginal stenosis).
Pelvic radiation will often cause infertility, and may induce menopausal symptoms in women that are premenopausal. Some young women with rectal cancer go into menopause after radiation therapy.
Do not assume that your doctor will bring up these concerns. Make sure to discuss anything you are concerned about prior to starting treatment. If you’re experiencing symptoms after treatment that are affecting your quality of life and relationship with your partner, talk to your doctor.
Here are some tips on how to cope:
Pelvic radiation may cause a drop in testosterone, alter blood flow to the penis, and damage nerves in the pelvic area. These changes can often cause erectile dysfunction. You may experience loss of libido, problems with maintaining an erection, difficulty reaching climax, orgasm without ejaculation, and pain during sex.
Do not assume that your doctor will bring up these concerns. If you have concerns about your sexual health and fertility, be sure to discuss them prior to starting treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms after treatment that are affecting your quality of life or relationship with your partner, talk to your doctor.
Here are some tips:
SBRT is a very precise treatment, which minimizes damage to the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. Luckily, this means that side effects are often minimal, and will likely go away within a few weeks of finishing treatment.
However, side effects can vary depending on the area being treated, and the organs surrounding it, so it’s important to discuss this with your radiation oncologist.
Common side effects can include:
SBRT can cause fatigue for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after treatment.
Here are some tips:
SBRT may cause temporary swelling or pain around the area being treated. If this is a problem for you, your team can prescribe pain medication or creams to alleviate the pain.
Most people getting SBRT don’t notice any skin changes during treatment — but you may see some changes 4 to 6 weeks after you finish. This can include pink or tanned-looking skin in the area that was treated. You may lose some or all of the hair in the treatment area — but your hair will usually grow back within 3 to 6 months.
This is most common when receiving SBRT to the liver or bowel. If this is a problem for you, chat with your team. They can prescribe medication, and refer you to a dietician who can give you tips on alleviating your symptoms.
The good news is that most patients who receive Y90 experience few side effects — and these side effects usually go away within a week or so following the procedure.
Some patients experience a low grade fever, mild pain, fatigue and lethargy, which usually clear up within a week. If you experience this, remember to rest and take naps when you need to. Listen to your body! Maintaining a healthy diet, staying well hydrated, as well as doing some light exercise can help boost energy levels. Don’t feel bad about asking friends and family to help out with daily tasks!
Some patients may also experience moderate pain, along with nausea and vomiting. If this is the case for you, speak with your doctor. They can prescribe medication to help alleviate these symptoms, but for most people, the symptoms go away within a week of the procedure
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Last updated: July 28, 2022