Radiation treatments use high energy waves to damage and kill cancer cells. Because the radiation can affect cells other than cancer cells, side effects may occur. The side effects that any given patient has depends on the type and amount of radiation used and the area being treated.
Possible side effects include:
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Fatigue (in part due to energy expended in replacing normal cells killed in the process)
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Skin irritation, redness, lesions, peeling
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Hair loss
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Loss of taste
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Erectile dysfunction
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Decreased blood count (may be monitored by the clinician overseeing the treatment)
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Increased susceptibility to infection
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Difficulty swallowing and decreased appetite
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Oral mucositis (cells of the mouth rapidly dividing)
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Younger patients receiving radiotherapy are more likely to develop secondary tumors because of their longer post-treatment life span.
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Large tumor masses often contain oxygen-poor cells in the center that are resistant to radiation therapy and therefore not affected by the therapy.(1)
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External Radiation Therapy requires a significant amount of time. The entire process may span 4-5 weeks with treatments given 5 days per week. The actual treatments usually only last a few minutes.
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Preoperative radiation therapy can:
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obscure the extent of the tumor and interfere with surgery
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create anxiety because of the delay until surgery
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increase the risk of postoperative complications.
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