Side Effects Of Chemotherapy And Radiation Therapy

Chemotherapy and radiation are two of the most effective treatments for cancer.

Side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can cause long term side effects to the brain spinal cord and nerves. Cancer therapies like chemotherapy and radiation can be life extending and life saving but they come with side effects.

Early and late effects of radiation therapy. Early side effects happen during or shortly after treatment. Chemo and radiation cause similar side effects. These effects are more likely to affect the whole body.

Radiation s side effects on the other hand tend to affect the area being treated. They re usually gone within a few weeks after treatment ends. Chemo s side effects depend on the type of drug used the dosage and a child s overall health. Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy waves to kill tumor cells.

These side effects tend to be short term mild and treatable. Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells. The most common early side effects are fatigue feeling tired and skin changes. Hearing loss from high doses of chemotherapy especially drugs like cisplatin multiple brand names increased risk of stroke from high doses of radiation to the brain.

This treatment can cause side. Learn more about possible side effects. There are also other drugs that are used to treat cancer in different ways including targeted therapy hormone therapy and immunotherapy. The information below describes side effects that might be caused by traditional or standard chemotherapy.

Some occur as soon as treatment begins while others hit weeks later because of the cumulative effects of chemo medications or exposure to radiation.