Key points about side effects of radiation therapy
- common side effects of radiation therapy include hair loss, upset stomach, vomiting, mouth sores, tiredness, fever and skin problems
- the side effects that your child may experience will depend on where on their body they receive the radiation and the dose of radiation
- as well as hurting cancer cells, radiation can also damage healthy cells that are close to the cancer
- the healthy cells usually get better after therapy is finished
- side effects can be either short-term (acute) or long-term (late)
Side effects of radiation therapy
As well as hurting cancer cells, radiation can also damage healthy cells that are close to the cancer. The healthy cells usually get better after therapy is finished.
The side effects that your child may experience will depend on:
- where on their body they receive the radiation
- the dose of radiation
Your child may have side effects such as:
- hair loss
- upset stomach
- vomiting
- mouth sores
- tiredness
- fever
Your child might also have skin problems at the place on the body they had the radiation:
- skin redness
- skin rashes
- dry skin
- itchiness
Avoid sunlight after radiation therapy
Radiation makes the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Sunburn can lead to blisters, which can get infected. Skin damage from the sun can also lead to skin cancer.
Short-term and long-term side effects of radiation therapy
Side effects can be either short-term (acute) or long-term (late).
Short-term side effects
When radiation beams pass through normal tissue it can cause inflammation. This causes short-term (acute) side effects. This means that while the side effects show quickly after treatment, they do not last for a long time. These side effects peak about a week after the treatment has finished. Most side effects will be a lot better about 6 weeks after the treatment finishes.
Long-term effects
Long-term (late) side effects appear many months or years after treatment finishes. The inflammation of the tissues has settled but the healing process may cause scarring and damage to these tissues. This can restrict how the tissues function.
Minimising long-term side effects from radiation treatment
Your child's healthcare team will plan your child's treatment to minimise the chances of long-term complications. If there are any significant risks to your child during treatment then the team will discuss these with you.
Acknowledgements
All the pages in the childhood cancer section of this website have been written by health professionals who work in the field of paediatric oncology. They have been reviewed by the members of the National Child Cancer Network (NZ). Medical information is authorised by the National Child Cancer Network Clinical Leader.
