What are the common side effects of radiation therapy?
radiation therapy, a type of treatment that exposes patients to ionizing radiation, has a number of common side effects. Frequent complications of radiation therapy may include immediate problems such as skin irritation, nausea and ulcers, as well as long -term side effects including fibrosis, thinning of the skin and lymphedema. The side effects of radiation therapy may be limited by using the smallest doses of radiation and can be alleviated by a number of drugs. Many side effects of radiation therapy are inevitable because radiation damages both normal and abnormal cells. These local side effects may include redness of the skin, swelling and peeling. If areas such as mouth are exposed to radiation, ulcers can develop. Gastrointestinal tract radiation can cause diarrhea. Exposure of the testicles or ovaries to ionizing radiation can cause infertility that can be temporary or permanent depending on the dose of radiation. The tissue at the radiation site often never returns to normal. Skin, blood vessels and lymphatic vessels may lose some withTrucctural integrity, resulting in thin skin, hair loss, easy bruises, lymphedema and fibrosis.
Over time, some less common side effects develop. Research has indicated that radiation to the heart increases the long -term risk of heart disease. Radiation therapy also increases the risk of cancer such as leukemia and lymphoma.
The best way to prevent the side effects of radiation therapy is to reduce radiation exposure. The basic principle of all radiation administration is to use the smallest effective dose in the smallest area of the body to prevent so many side effects of radiation therapy as a possibility. Various techniques have been developed to focus radiation on a small area.
Other side effects of radiation therapy can be solved as soon as symptoms are formed. A series of lotions and creams can relieve pain associated with redness of the skin or peeling. Pollutants can reduce pain associated with ORby the ulcers. Anti-theme drugs may reduce nausea and vomiting.
The use of radiation therapy relies on its ability to damage the genetic material of cells, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). DNA damage results in cell death, whether it is a affected cell or descendants of the affected cell that dies. Ionizing radiation kills non -selectively, which means that healthy and cancer cells can be damaged. The death of normal cells results in many side effects associated with radiation therapy.