The effects of radiation treatment on the brain can appear during the radiation, shortly after it, or even years later. Most of the radiation side-effects do not last long and typically disappear around the time that the radiation is over. Nevertheless, some radiation effects can last for years, and even become permanent. Most radiation side-effects only affect the location that was treated with radiation.
General Short-Term Side Effects
The Mayo Clinic says that some radiation side-effects are general and may appear regardless of the radiation site. Side-effects are typically more severe if the patient has received high dosage or radiation for a long period of time. When a patient has received radiation on the brain, the skin irritation is a common short-term side-effect. The skin on the face and head may feel dry, and red, and the skin may peel off as if the patient has had sunburn. Other typical side-effects may include hair loss, vomiting, nausea, and fatigue. Patients seldom suffer from all of these side-effects and they typically last from a few hours to a couple of months.
Short-Term Side Effects on the Brains
Caring4Cancer.com states that some radiation affects can only be seen after radiation to head or neck. For some patients, the radiation causes inflammation of the lining of the mouth, difficulties chewing, speaking, and swallowing, as well as mouth and throat infections. Radiation may damage the salivary glands and cause chronic dry mouth. Such symptoms may be helped with proper oral hygiene, medication, and the use of a mouthwash. Chewing gum seems to help some patients. Many patients report that there is a change in how the food tastes after the radiation. Metallic or bitter tastes are common symptoms. Especially if the frontal areas of the brain have received radiation, the patient may experience changes in his personality. He may appear aggressive or uninhibited. Some patients have decreased memory and learning abilities.
Late Side Effects
Late side-effects can appear years after the radiation therapy has ended. A common late side-effect following radiation to any part of the body is a secondary cancer that appears in a location unrelated to the first, primary cancer. Such cancer types as breast cancer commonly develop brain cancer years later. People who have received radiation to their brain or neck as children, have an increased risk of developing various heart conditions such as blood clots or a stroke, says Dr. James G. Gurney and colleagues in a study published in the February 2003 issue of "Cancer" journal.
Brain Radiation Side-Effects in Children
Radiation effects on the brain are typically more severe, if the patient received radiation as a child. Survivors of the pediatric brain cancer tend to be significantly shorter, for example, says Dr. Gurney and colleagues in a study that was published in vol 88 of the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" in 2003. The authors reported that the younger the child was during the radiation therapy to the brains the more severe were the effect on his growth. Other commonly reported late side effects in the pediatric brain cancer survivors is infertility.
Combined Chemotherapy and Radiation Side Effects
Side effects tend to be more severe when radiation and chemotherapy are combined. When patients have received both of them, they may get permanent damage to the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Infertility and sexual dysfunction are also commonly reported.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Cancer survivors--Managing Late Effects of Cancer Treatment
- Caring4Cancer.com: Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
- "Cancer"; Endocrine and Cardiovascular Late Effects Among Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Tumors; James G. Gurney et al.; February 2003
- National Cancer Institute: SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Brain and Other Nervous System
- "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism"; Final Height and Body Mass Index among Adult Survivors of Childhood Brain Cancer;J. G. Gurney et al.; 2003
