What are the side effects of radiation?

Question

I mean radiation therapy for a cancer patient...

Answer 1

The side effects of radiation therapy depend mostly on the amount of radiation received and the part of the body being treated. The most common side effects of however are are fatigue (tiredness), skin changes, and loss of appetite.
>>The body uses lots of energy hor healing itself, the stress a person have, the trips going to treatment plus the effect of radiation on normal cells will all cause fatigue. Enough rest and sleep should be taken.
>>The skin on the area treated may become red, tanned or sunburned and expect to have a very dry skin. Some cream may be prescribed to ease the discomfort.
>>Appetite will be greatly affected but good nutrition should be maintained. Eating small meals of various nutritional foods and taking supplements can help. If there is any difficulty to swallow, a special powdered or liquid supplements will be advised by the doctor. Nausea and vomiting is another side effect that greatly alter the appetite. Mild anti-nausea tablet will be needed to treat that.

Other possible side effects includes hair loss, headache,visual changes (usually with radiation therapy in the head), depression, mouth drness, swallowing difficulty and shortness of breath ( usualy with radiation treatment applied to the chest area). Not to forget to mention the susceptibility to infection.

There are many specific side effects depending on which body part is treated. Find out more detailed information from this link: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/4/1680_50264

Answer 2

Work in Pharmacy

What is radiation therapy?

In radiation therapy (also called radiotherapy), high-energy rays are used to damage cancer cells and stop them from growing and dividing. A specialist in radiation therapy is called a radiation oncologist.

What are the types of radiation therapy?

Like surgery, radiation therapy is a local treatment; it affects cancer cells only in the treated area. Radiation can come from a machine (external radiation). It can also come from an implant (a small container of radioactive material) placed directly into or near the tumor (internal radiation). Some patients receive both kinds of radiation therapy.

External radiation therapy is usually given on an outpatient basis in a hospital or clinic 5 days a week for a number of weeks. Patients are not radioactive during or after the treatment.

For internal radiation therapy, the patient stays in the hospital for a few days. The implant may be temporary or permanent. Because the level of radiation is highest during the hospital stay, patients may not be able to have visitors or may have visitors only for a short time. Once an implant is removed, there is no radioactivity in the body. The amount of radiation in a permanent implant goes down to a safe level before the patient leaves the hospital.

What are the side effects of radiation therapy?

With radiation therapy, the side effects depend on the treatment dose and the part of the body that is treated. The most common side effects are tiredness, skin reactions (such as a rash or redness, permanent pigmentation, and scarring) in the treated area, and loss of appetite. Radiation therapy can cause inflammation of tissues and organs in and around the body site radiated. This can cause symptoms that depend on what organs are affected and to what degree. For example, radiation can inflame skin to cause a burn or permanent pigmentation. It can also irritate the colon and cause diarrhea. Radiation therapy can also cause a decrease in the number of white blood cells, cells that help protect the body against infection.

Although the side effects of radiation therapy can be unpleasant, they can usually be treated or controlled. It also helps to know that, in most cases, they are not permanent. To a great degree, the possible side effects of radiation therapy depend on the location and the amount of radiation.

Answer 3

Hair Loss
Fatigue
Nausea
Low Blood Count...

Answer 4

depends on the dose you receive. a mild case would be nausea and vomiting. it gets more severe from there and ultimatley death with a strong exposure.

Answer 5

hair loss. slow recovery from wound. supressed immune system. all are dose-dependent. hairloss you're more sensitive to.

Answer 6

death