Understanding Radiation Damage from Cancer Treatment

One treatment for cancer is radiation therapy. Though effective, radiation therapy commonly damages healthy cells in the body, which affects your quality of life. Medical professionals and family members will help you cope.

Significance

• Radiation therapy can cause lasting, unwanted changes to the treatment area and, in rare cases, cause new cancers to form.

Time Frame

• Radiation damage to your body is either long term or short term. Short term effects disappear within two months of your last treatment, while long-term effects persist for half a year or longer.

Effects

• Radiation damage depends on your cancer's location. For example, radiation therapy to your neck often causes difficulty swallowing, and radiation therapy to your chest often causes shortness of breath and coughing.

Considerations

• Newer forms of radiation therapy, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, are more precise. Greater precision reduces the damage to healthy cells.

Expert Insight

• Before you begin radiation therapy, the American Cancer Society (2009) recommends that you talk with your doctor about the possible side effects.