Effects of Radiation Therapy
On October 16 at the Cancer Survivors' Support Group we discussed the short and long term effects of radiation therapy. Our resource was the National Cancer Institute.
Short term effects often depend on the location of the cancer, but there are some common effects. These are fatigue, hair loss, and skin changes. For the brain, some common short term effects could include headache and blurry vision; for the chest: a cough and shortness of breath; for the abdomen and pelvis: diarrhea, nausea and vomiting and possibly urinary tract problems.
For long term effects, it is important to note that they may not show up for months and even years later.
Bone loss is a common one and can be managed by healthy eating, walking and other weight bearing activities and limiting tobacco and alcohol. For brain changes such as memory loss, problems with concentrating and processing, it is helpful to talk to your doctor who may prescribe speech therapy or rehab therapy. For endocrine changes, there are specific medications that can help. For heart problems which is often revealed as congestive heart failure, one can manage by eating a healthy diet, lose weight if applicable, exercise, quit smoking and try to get enough rest. For lung problems such as wheezing, dry cough, fever, congestion and tiredness; oxygen therapy, quit smoking, exercise, and reduce weight if needed. Lastly, for mouth changes, see your dentist, stimulate saliva, exercise your jaw and good oral hygiene.
The main message is to report any changes one notices to your doctor so early interventions can be initiated.
|
