Side Effects Of Pancreatic Cancer Radiation

Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells.

Side effects of pancreatic cancer radiation.

Radiation therapy can cause both short term side effects and late side effects which are mainly related to the area treated. Each treatment lasts only a few minutes although. This can last up to several weeks post treatment also. Depending on the type and dosage of radiation given tolerance of the patient and stage of cancer radiation therapy can have a lot of side effects on the patients in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. The goal is to destroy or damage the cancer without hurting too many healthy cells. Both radiation therapy and chemotherapy damage some normal cells along with cancer cells. Some of the most common side effects of radiation include the following.

This treatment can cause side. Skin changes redness blistering or peeling nausea and vomiting. Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy waves to kill tumor cells. Mild skin redness is possible but not common in pancreatic cancer treatment.

Patients may feel some abdominal discomfort toward the end of the treatment series. Radiation therapy side effects. Side effects of radiation therapy will depend mainly on the size of the area being treated the specific area or organs being treated the total dose of radiation and the treatment schedule. Learn more about possible side effects.

Every day doctors learn more about how new treatments such as immunotherapies could help treat pancreatic cancer more effectively. Radiation therapy treatments do not hurt during the procedure. The procedure itself is painless. Side effects can include nausea vomiting appetite loss weight loss and fatigue as well as toxicity to.

Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Getting radiation therapy is much like getting an x ray but the radiation is stronger. The type of radiation most often used to treat pancreatic cancer known as external beam radiation therapy focuses radiation from a source outside of the body on the cancer. Side effects may include tiredness.

For pancreatic cancer the treatment is targeted at the abdomen. Exposure to high radiation leads to tiredness.