What body areas with cancer tumors may be treated with external radiation therapy?
Cancer tumors in body areas can cause many problems. External radiation therapy may help relieve the problems caused by the tumors. Treatment may be done to the following body areas: • Head and neck: You can have problems thinking and remembering things if the tumor is in your brain. You can also have headaches, vomiting, and seizures (convulsions). Tumors in your throat can make your voice very scratchy, or you may lose your voice completely. You may also have a hard time swallowing food or liquids. • Chest: You can have problems breathing, or have swelling and infections if a tumor is inside your lungs. • Arms and legs: Your arms and legs have many lymph glands in them. Lymph is the fluid that carries antibodies which fight germs and infections. Cancer cells that spread to your lymph glands and vessels can block the flow of lymph. When vessels are blocked, lymph builds up and may cause swelling and pain. • Bones: Tumors can make your bone marrow stop working. Bone marrow is the spong
