One of the major concerns for cancer patients starting radiation therapy is the worry that it will cause as many problems as it will cure, if not more. This worry is not unfounded. When radiation therapy was new, it was common for patients to develop severe side effects, particularly those being treated for Hodgkin's disease. With current medical procedures, radiation treatment creates fewer long-term side effects, but they do still occur.
Significance
During radiation therapy, the patient's body is subjected to concentrated rays of radiation. This treatment is focused on the specific area of the body that needs the treatment most, whereas previously the treatment was subjected to the entire body for some types of cancers. Because radiation can cause damage to healthy cells around the affected cancerous cells it leads to long-term side effects.
Minor side effects
Radiation therapy results in irritation of the lymphatic system. This condition, known as lymphedema, results in a buildup of fluids and swelling in the infected parts of the body. If the radiation occurs near certain abdominal organs, such as the bladder or bowel, those organs may become infected or irritated, causing difficulty in urination or excretion. Radiation therapy for the prostate typically results in diarrhea, incontinence and occasional rectal bleeding. These symptoms may last up to one year after the treatment is finished.
Secondary Cancers
Radiation therapy can cause secondary cancer by damaging healthy cells. Radiation therapy alone can cause secondary cancer, or the combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy can induce secondary cancers. Hodgkin's lymphoma radiation therapy, because it is typically performed at a young age, has a higher-than-average chance of causing secondary cancers. Leukemia is a particularly common secondary cancer that results from radiation therapy. Secondary cancers can take years to develop. The earliest cancers will usually form about five years after radiation therapy, while some will not develop for 15 years or more after therapy. According to the American Cancer Society, however, the enhanced contemporary radiation therapies makes the risk of contacting a secondary cancer very low for most patients.
Reproductive risks
A woman who is treated with radiation therapy runs the risk of having her menstrual cycle interrupted if her pelvis is treated with radiation therapy. The female patient may also begin to demonstrate early signs of menopause as a result of the radiation. If both ovaries are subjected to radiation treatments, this can result in permanent infertility. Men who receive radiation therapy for testicular cancer experience a decrease in their fertility level as well. For men who undergo radiation therapy of the prostate, erectile dysfunction is common and typically lasts up to a year following the end of treatment. Some men's erectile dysfunction is a permanent side effect of radiation therapy.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which a patient's thyroid produces low levels of the thyroid hormone. Approximately one-third of all patients who undergo radiation therapy in a region that involves the neck will develop hypothyroidism. After undergoing radiation therapy, a patient should be regularly checked by their medical professional for this condition, because it frequently occurs long after radiation therapy has been completed and the symptoms are easy to miss.
Potential
The long-term effects of radiation therapy, particularly those of secondary cancer, can be enormous. Each patient must decide if the benefits outweigh the risks. Discussing with the doctor the benefits and risk factors of radiation therapy should help the patient come to his decision.
Tags: radiation therapy, secondary cancer, side effects, after radiation, after radiation therapy
