What is radiation therapy & what are its possible side-effects?

Radiation therapy, also referred to as radiotherapy or XRT, is the treatment of cancer with penetrating beams of energy waves or streams of particles that can destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy is delivered to the cancer cells and a small margin of surrounding normal tissue, sometimes referred to as the radiation field. Radiation therapy damages the genetic material of cancer cells making them unable to grow. Radiation therapy also damages healthy cells in the field of radiation. Adjuvant radiation therapy is radiotherapy that is used to destroy any cancer cells that may remain after surgery and/or chemotherapy.

It is recommend radiation therapy to the primary site as well as the draining lymph node basin. This recommendation is based on numerous studies showing marked improvement in control of disease at the primary site and draining lymph node basin when radiation therapy is added

The analysis of the available literature show that radiotherapy is associated with a statistically significant improvement in local and nodal recurrence, but not in survival. Where wide excision is not possible, a recent study suggests that radiotherapy alone may be as effective as both radiotherapy and surgery. These data suggest a role for radiotherapy to the primary site and draining lymph node basin in stage I & II disease.

The dose of radiotherapy is measured in units called Gray (Gy). The total dose of your radiation therapy should be greater than or equal to 50 Gy. Radiation therapy is usually administered in a doctor's office in divided doses for 10-15 minutes, 5 days a week (e.g., Monday through Friday) over a set number of weeks (e.g., 5 weeks).

Possible side-effects of radiation therapy

Possible side-effects of radiation therapy in the area being treated include loss of hair, skin irritation (like a sunburn), and changes in the color and texture of the skin. Radiation to a draining lymph node basin may cause swelling of the arm or leg on the same side that may be long-lasting in unusual cases. A frequent side effect is fatigue, which usually resolves soon after the radiotherapy is stopped. Accordingly, it is important to eat a well-balanced diet and get plenty of rest. A radiation oncologist may adjust the dose or schedule of your radiation therapy based on your side effects.

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