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A photo of two Fox Chase medical professionals smiling at patient laying in a bed in front of a large radiation therapy machine.
Important announcement concerning Temple Health and Keystone First. Our provider agreement with Keystone First, is scheduled to end on July 31st. Learn about your options to continue receiving care at Temple Health.
Your radiation doctors plan treatments very carefully to lessen side effects. While some patients have little or no side effects from radiation therapy, others feel some discomfort. Side effects are usually short-term and can be treated. No matter what type of therapy you receive, our doctors and nurses are skilled in helping to manage side effects.
Side effects most often start by the second or third week of treatment. They can last up to several weeks after your final radiation treatment. Many people who get radiation have some fatigue and skin reactions. Based on the area of your body being treated, you may also have some:
Most side effects go away within 1–2 months after you have finished radiation therapy.
Fatigue
Skin Reactions
Hair Loss
Appetite Changes
Mouth and Throat Changes
Coughing
Diarrhea
Nausea and Vomiting
Sexual Changes Changes
You may feel more tired than normal during treatment. The cancer itself or radiation therapy may be the cause. Your body is working hard to heal itself. To help with fatigue:
Radiation can affect healthy skin cells in the treatment area. When people get radiation almost every day, their skin cells may not have enough time to recover between treatments. Skin changes can happen any place on the body that gets radiation. Reactions are like mild sunburn. Some common skin changes you may have include dryness, redness, itching, peeling, sores, ulcers and swelling. Your skin may darken in that spot. Most skin changes heal and fade within a few weeks of stopping treatment.
When you shower/bathe, do not scrub the treatment area. Only use mild soaps (like Dove) that are free of harsh chemicals or fragrances. Dry yourself with a soft towel by patting, not rubbing, your skin. Be careful not to wash of the ink markings needed for radiation therapy.
Apply moisturizing lotion to your skin. Ask a member of your care team which lotion to use. Do not put lotion on the treatment area before treatment. Wait until after you have been treated and apply as you like. Check with your doctor or nurse before using:
Other tips include:
Hair loss from radiation therapy happens only on the part of your body being treated. This is not the same as hair loss from chemotherapy, which happens all over your body. You may start losing hair in your treatment area 2–3 weeks after your first radiation therapy session. It takes about one week for all hair in your treatment area to fall out. Your hair may grow back in the months after treatment is over. Sometimes, however, the dose of radiation is so high that your hair may never grow back. Once your hair starts to re-grow, it may not look or feel as it did before. It may be thinner or curly instead of straight, or it may be darker or lighter in color.
Decide whether to cut your hair or shave your head before you lose your hair. If you decide to shave your head, the best time to do so would be before starting radiation treatment. This is so we do not have to remake your mask if the it changes.
If you plan to buy a wig, do so while you still have hair. The best time to select a wig is before or soon after radiation therapy begins. This way, your wig will match the color and style of your own hair. Choose a wig that feels comfortable and does not hurt your scalp. Ask your doctor or nurse about Boo’s Boutique, found on the first floor of Fox Chase. Boo’s Boutique specializes in helping patients make decisions about wigs.
Protect your scalp, which may feel tender after hair loss. When outdoors, protect against cold and sunburn by covering your head with a hat, turban, scarf or wig.
Your body uses extra energy to heal during radiation therapy. It is important to eat enough calories and protein and drink adequate fluids to maintain your strength and weight during this time. You may notice changes in your eating habits. You may lose your appetite, food may taste different, or you may find it hard to eat. Think of healthy eating as part of your treatment. Talk to your care team if you are having eating issues. You may be referred to a nutritionist, a professional who specializes in food planning.
Try these tips:
Some common high-protein foods include:
Radiation therapy to the head and neck can cause mouth changes. Radiation not only kills cancer cells but can also harm healthy cells in the glands that make saliva and the moist lining of your mouth. You may have:
Some problems, like mouth sores, may go away after treatment ends. Others, such as taste changes, may last for months or even years. Some problems, such as dry mouth, may get better but never go away.
Radiation therapy to the neck or chest can cause the lining of your throat to become swollen and sore. Your risk for throat changes depends on how much radiation you are getting, whether you are also having chemotherapy, and whether you use tobacco and alcohol while getting radiation therapy. You may notice throat changes in 2–3 weeks after starting radiation. These will likely get better 4–6 weeks after you have finished treatment.
Coughing, often a symptom of your disease, may be caused by cancer treatment, especially radiation to the chest.
Radiation therapy to the pelvis, stomach and abdomen may cause diarrhea. People get diarrhea because radiation can irritate healthy cells lining the inside of the bowel. These areas are sensitive to the amount of radiation needed to treat cancer.
Avoid:
Nausea and vomiting can occur after radiation therapy to the stomach, small intestine, colon or parts of the brain. Your risk for nausea and vomiting depends on how much radiation you are getting, how much of your body is in the treatment area, and whether you are also having chemotherapy.
To prevent nausea and vomiting:
Radiation therapy to the pelvis can cause urinary and bladder problems by irritating the healthy cells of the bladder wall and urinary tract. These changes may start 3–5 weeks after radiation therapy begins. Most problems go away 2–8 weeks after treatment is over. You may experience:
Ways to manage include:
Sexual and fertility changes can happen when people have radiation therapy to the pelvic area. For women, this includes radiation to the vagina, uterus or ovaries. For men, this includes radiation to the testicles or prostate. In men and women, changes may be seen with rectal or bladder treatment. Scar tissue from radiation therapy can cause many sexual side effects. Other problems, such as fatigue, pain, anxiety or depression, can also affect your interest in having sex. Some sexual and fertility changes you may experience include:
It is important to be open and honest with your spouse or partner about your feelings and concerns, and how you prefer to be intimate while you are having radiation therapy. Some things to keep in mind:
Fox Chase Cancer Center offers a Women’s Menopausal and Sexual Health Program and Men’s Sexual Health Program and Erectile Dysfunction Clinic to support patients as they adjust to changes during and after cancer treatment. For more information about these programs, please call 888-369-2427.
A photo of two Fox Chase medical professionals smiling at patient laying in a bed in front of a large radiation therapy machine.