Cancer Radiation Side Effects



Cancer radiation therapy is essentially a localized treatment. This means it is directed at a specific site wherein the cancerous cells are treated using a controlled dosage of radiation. The entire process is carried out with high-end medical appliances and the results are almost immediate. However, there are some cancer radiation side effects that are associated with this type of treatment.



Notifying about side-effects of Cancer Radiation

There are no strict guidelines as to when the cancer radiation side effects begin to surface. For some patients, this could be immediate while some might show the first signs after a few weeks of sustained radiation therapy. However, most patients report some side-effects beginning from the second week onwards, i.e. second week of scheduled radiation therapy sessions. When the side-effects become visible, the patient should inform the attending physician and the radiation technician to address the situation immediately. Often this involves re-adjusting the radiation therapy frequency or the intensity (dosage). Many times, the side-effects can be curbed with some basic medications. The entire emphasis should be to alleviate the patient's condition and make the radiation therapy course undemanding. Usually, the symptoms become more pronounced as the radiation therapy sessions are about to be completed. This is when the patient should insist that the physician takes due note of treating the symptoms. Failure to do so can allow some of the side-effects to mature into major health conditions, since the body is in a comparatively susceptible condition after undergoing radiation therapy. Some minor symptoms such as lack of proper salivation or minor skin irritation aren't necessarily a cause for apprehension but some of the other side effects discussed below need to be addressed proactively.

Understanding Cancer Radiation's Side-effects

The most common side-effects causes by cancer radiation therapy include:

Nausea

This is generally regarded as a natural reaction among first-time radiation therapy receivers. Some people tend to react very harshly and may immediately show signs of vomiting. During this time, the attending staff usually tries to avoid the use of any strong medication and continue with the therapy, ensuring that proper fluid intake is maintained. To avoid nausea during radiation sessions, some simple dietary precautions can prove very helpful. Eating slightly salty food on the day of therapy, along with carbonated drinks helps to ease the vomiting-like sensation. Similarly, greasy foods and those with high fat content should be avoided for a few days prior to the radiation session. However, if a patient still shows signs of extreme nauseating, some anti-nausea medication can be prescribed. Some physicians interpret nausea as a mild reaction and not a major side-effect.

Hair-loss

Hair-loss is probably the most acknowledged form of cancer radiation side-effects. The loss of hair can be total or partial and some patients might not exhibit any kind of hairfall. However, hair-loss is more pronounced in the areas where the radiation is directed but loss of hair from surrounding areas, particularly the scalp, cannot be ruled out. Sadly, there are no medications to eradicate this issue. Most patients seem to re-grow the lost hair since the growth pattern of hair is not affected.