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Side Effects of Radiation Treatment
There are side effects of radiation treatment for colon cancer just as there are side effects of most treatments of cancer. However the radiation treatment side effects can be managed, and they usually go away after treatment.
There are four main ways to treat colon cancer:
- surgery
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
- targeted therapies (called monoclonal antibodies)
Often a combination is used.
Radiation therapy is also called radiotherapy. This process means getting radiation, like high doses of x-rays, straight to the cancer. Radiation therapy is usually done at a hospital or clinic and can be delivered from the outside of your body by an x-ray machine. Radiation can also be delivered as treatment from the inside by sealing a tiny amount of radioactive material inside a needle or a capsule and then putting the capsule in or near the cancer. This is also called brachytherapy.
All the different names for radiation treatments are not important. The important part for you to know is that radioactivity can kill cancer cells and help treat your cancer. The doctors will limit the damage the radioactivity does to your normal cells by aiming the radiation at your cancer. Still, some normal cells will be affected.
Side Effects
The radiation treatment itself is painless. Side effects of radiation treatment may show up afterwards because some normal cells have also been damaged. Side effects could include:
- diarrhea
- bloody stools
- trouble controlling bowel movements
- lack of appetite or nausea
- skin irritations
- fatigue
- cramps and sometimes pain with urination
Some of these can be managed by getting enough rest and sleep. Eating a nutritious diet is a very important way to manage these side effects. Other side effects of radiation treatment can be managed with medication such as pain medicine and creams for the skin. These side effects are usually not permanent; they will go away with time.
Do I have to get radiation therapy?
The facts on colon cancer make it clear that sometimes certain cancers need to be treated with radiation. Some cancers are too big to be removed right away and radiation therapy will shrink these tumors. Sometimes a patient is treated with radiation after surgery to prevent recurrent colon cancer - in other words, to try and kill any remaining cancer cells so the cancer does not come back. Radiation therapy can also be used to help treat some symptoms of advanced cancer like pain or bleeding.
Most of the time, radiation treatment for colon cancer is delivered externally, which takes only a few minutes at a time, five days a week for a number of weeks. Of course it takes more than a few minutes to get in, set up and have your treatment. Be sure and ask all of your questions about your specific situation if your doctor suggests radiation therapy to treat your colon cancer. Be aware of the side effects of radiation treatment, but don't let worries about side effects prevent you from getting the treatment you need.
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