Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer Long Term

Long term side effects of radiotherapy.

Side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer long term.

Nausea is rare with radiation therapy to the breast. Long term side effects occur months or years after treatment has ended. Possible side effects of external radiation. Concern over long term side effects of radiation therapy is becoming more common as survival rates improve.

However breast fibrosis can also be long term side effect of radiotherapy. Skin changes in the treated area similar to a sunburn redness skin peeling darkening of the skin fatigue. Your doctor will talk to you about the possible long term effects before you start your treatment. Just as there can be long term side effects of chemotherapy radiation therapy may result in side effects that may begin and linger far after treatment has been completed these can include heart problems lung problems thyroid problems secondary cancers and more but it s important.

You won t lose the hair on your head. Swelling in the breast. Learn more about possible side effects. Radiotherapy can have some long term side effects such as hair loss and skin changes.

Long term side effects can include. You may hear your doctor refer to it as breast fibrosis or glandular atrophy or radiation fibrosis syndrome rfs. The breasts may shrink or become more dense after radiation some women. In this case breast fibrosis is a direct result of radiation damaging your skin s elasticity.

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 main short term side effects of external beam radiation therapy to the breast are. Rare short term side effects nausea and hair loss. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue.