What are some side effects associated with radiation therapy?
Side effects for radiation differ depending on the patient and treatment type. You should discuss with your physician/nurse team the anticipated side effects of your specific treatment. As with chemotherapy, the most common adverse reaction to radiation is fatigue. The stress associated with daily hospital visits, coupled with the effects of this therapy on non-cancerous cells, often causes fatigue to set in after a few weeks. Patients are advised to “listen to their body” by resting as much as necessary and decreasing their workload. Red, irritated skin in the treatment area is another regular complaint; in addition to avoiding the urge to rub or scratch, patients can combat this side effect by washing with lukewarm water and mild soap. Although hair loss is far more common with chemotherapy, patients who receive radiation to their head can lose some or all of the hair on their scalp.
