Radiation can cause both short-term and long-term side effects. The first side effects of the process can be spotted during the procedure itself. Side effects typically last from a few hours to months. Similarly, the onset of long-term side effects is often very fast and these effects may linger for several years. Later effects, which are different from long-term effects, can start months or even years after radiation treatment. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is substantial variation between the side effects experienced by patients. These effects tend to be most severe among survivors of pediatric cancer.
Short- and Long-Term Side Effects
According to the National Cancer Institute, the short-term side effects of radiation usually disappear after the end of treatment. The severity and type of these effects depends on the area of the body that receives treatment and the dosage of radiation. Also, patients' health and other conditions play major roles in determening the type and severity of side effects. These effects result from the damage inflicted on the rapidly dividing healthy cells in the area under treatment. A typical side effect that starts during the radiation therapy is skin irritation in the area of treatment. This irritation ranges from mild dryness and redness resembling sunburn to severe peeling. Other common side effects include nausea, vomiting, hair loss and fatigue. According to the May Clinic, the long-term side effects are similar to short-term side effects, excluding skin reactions.
Late Side Effects
Some cancer survivors experience late side effects, although Caring4Cancer.com states that late side effects have become less common with the advancement of technology. Late side effects typically start long after the end of radiation. These effects include diarrhea, bleeding, infertility, cavities and tooth decay, memory loss, intestinal problems, fibrosis and the replacement of normal tissue with scar tissue. Fibrosis might lead to restricted movement of the affected area, such as the lungs. As a late side-effect to the radiation, patients can also develop another cancer type years after the radiation has ended.
Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Radiation therapy typically causes the most severe late effects in pediatric cancer survivors. The reasons for this are not fully understood, but according the Mayo Clinic, radiation may interfere with development and growth. Dr. James G. Gurney and colleagues proved that adult survivors of pediatric brain cancer tend to be much shorter than the average height and stated that this is likely to be caused by radiation. The group published this study in the 88th volume of the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" in 2003. Additionally, Gurney and colleagues showed in the January 2003 issue of the "Cancer" journal that childhood cancer survivors also experience different cardiovascular conditions such as blood clots and strokes. Pulmonary conditions such as recurrent pneumonia and decreased lung volume are commonly reported among these patients, according to Dr. Ann C. Mertens and her colleagues in the December 2002 issue of "Cancer" Journal. All of these conditions were said to be related to radiation therapy.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Radiation Therapy for Cancer
- MayoClinic.com: Cancer survivors: Managing Late Effects of Cancer Treatment
- Caring4Cancer: Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism": Final Height and Body Mass Index among Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Cancer
- "Cancer": Endocrine and cardiovascular late effects among adult survivors of childhood brain tumors
