Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy For Breast Cancer Long Term

The main short term side effects of external beam radiation therapy to the breast are.

Side effects of radiation therapy for breast cancer long term.

However you may lose some hair under your arm or on the breast or chest area getting radiation this may be a concern for some men with breast cancer. In this case breast fibrosis is a direct result of radiation damaging your skin s elasticity. Long term side effects of radiotherapy. Learn more about possible side effects.

Rare short term side effects nausea and hair loss. Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Long term side effects occur months or years after treatment has ended. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue.

You may hear your doctor refer to it as breast fibrosis or glandular atrophy or radiation fibrosis syndrome rfs. Skin changes in the treated area similar to a sunburn redness skin peeling darkening of the skin fatigue. Swelling in the breast. 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. You won t lose the hair on your head. Long term side effects can include. Radiotherapy can have some long term side effects such as hair loss and skin changes.

Possible side effects of external 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. 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. Rare short or long term side effects.