Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer: Managing Pain & Side Effects

Lung cancer patients may receive radiation therapy to kill cancer tumor cells. Radiation therapy may cause esophagus pain and other side effects. Doctors may prescribe treatments to relieve these side effects.

Radiation Therapy

• According to the American Cancer Society, radiation therapy is a local treatment and patients with lung cancer will have radiation applied directly to cancer cells in the lungs. Radiation therapy may be combined with other forms of cancer treatment such as surgery and chemotherapy.

Esophagus Pain

• Lung cancer patients who receive radiation to their chests and abdomen may develop pain and inflammation in the esophagus as well as the stomach and colon.

Associated Side Effects

• Esophagus pain may be accompanied by diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Pain Treatment

• Inflamed esophagus pain may be relieved with antacids and numbing medications such as lidocaine.

Other Treatments

• Diarrhea may cause dehydration that may require intravenous fluid treatments. Patients may receive medicines to treat nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.