what the effect of radiation to the cancer patient?

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Answers:
It depends where you are having the radiation, how much dose you are receiving, and how large the area is.

Generally, the higher the dose, the more likely you will have side effects from the treatment. This is also true for the size of the area being treated.

General side effects of radiation include alopecia (hair loss - but only in the treatment area!), erythema (reddening of the skin - like a sunburn, again, only in the area of treatment), and fatigue (because your body requires energy to repair the damage done by the radiation).

Nausea/vomiting are unlikely unless you have concurrent chemotherapy or you have treatment to your stomach/abdomen/brain.

Diarrhea is possible with treatment to the abdominal/pelvic area such as the bladder/rectum/prostate/cervix. etc. Basically if the treatment includes your small intestine then diarrhea is possible.

Treatments to the head/neck area such as the nasopharynx/mouth/oropharynx etc can result in xerostomia (dry mouth), mucusitis (inflammation of the mucus membrane), dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) --> leads to weight loss and fatigue.

Treatment to the lungs could induce a cough, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, etc.

It is best to speak with your radiation oncologist who should describe all the potential side effects to you from the treatment. You can also ask the radiation therapists who deliver the treatment.

Other Answers:
Alopecia (hair loss), nausea, vomiting, anemia, lethargy, diarrhea, etc.

you can lose hair,weight.also can be very nuasiated.

Hi,
Radiation usually acts on the exact area of the cancer, so effects are not as drastic as chemotherapy. Howeve, the radiation therapy does cause a certain level of nausea and vomiting, leading to loss of appetite. some patients also experience photosensitivity and anaemia. Best information source is the oncologist treating that patient.

It depends on which area of the body is receiving radiation. For example, if radiation is not directed towards one's head, one would not lose hair.

depends on the type radiation therapy, type of cancer and a number of other variables

read the information on my page and look at the Cancer
testimonials.

I have been though radiation, chemo and the works and find that radiation works in different ways to all people. The effects it may have on one person may not have the same on the other. To give you an example - I received twice the amount of radiation normally given to a person in his life time and I am still alive. In fact doctors now hesitate to even get me to take x-rays! The chemo along with the radiation had petrified me- but my fears were baseless as I did not get any side effects - no falling of hair etc. Even as far as eating and drinking, though a Herculean task I was able to manage quite well and this ensured that my immune system get back into some sort of shape. I was diagnosed with stage four of cancer of the larynx.
Source(s):
www.rdoc.org.uk

Radiation gives you the sun burnt effect but gets to 2nd and 3rd degree burns. The area in which you get the treatment will become dry and feel a bit like leather. You get left with a permanant sun tan to that area. It also makes you very tired. You want to sleep. Can effect your eating also.

My daddy had throat cancer and recived the highest radiation they could give.he went trough alot of pain in his throat.he lost abunch of weight,and his immune system was really low.the way he explained to me it felt like he swallowed abunch of barb wire.he has been cancer free now for 5 years but the deep voice he onced had is gone.now its a whisper.

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what the effect of radiation to the cancer patient?

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