Cancer Treatment Options Forum - July 18th, 2011 - 2 Comments
CANCER RADIATION QUESTION!?
I have a project due tomorrow on the good & bad effects of radiation for cancer.
I was hoping some one could give me a list of good effects from radiation treatment & a list of bad effects.
Please HELP!!
There are many types of cancer in many body locations.
For some types of cancer – such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma – radiation may be curative.
For many types of cancer, radiation is used palliatively.
Palliation of symptoms from cancer – or cures – would be good effects.
Bad side effects depend on where the radiation is given to the body.
What you are asking is an entire textbook of radiation oncology.
Here is a U.S. NCI site that may help. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/radiation
And another – http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/radiation-therapy-and-you
I’m a retired cancer specialist doctor who now teaches college students. I ask all of my students to not wait until the last minute to do papers, but few of them adhere to this. Papers are almost always written better if done and revised well ahead of the due date.
Radiation therapy uses high powered x-rays or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells.
The following are some commonly used radioactive substances:
* Cesium (137Cs)
* Cobalt (60Co)
* Iodine (131I)
* Phosphorus (32P)
* Gold (198Au)
* Iridium (192Ir)
* Yttrium (90Y)
* Palladium (103)
Radiation therapy can have many side effects. These side effects depend on the part of the body receiving radiation, the dose of radiation, and how often you have the therapy.
* Hair loss
* Skin pain
* Red, burning skin
* Shedding of the outer layer of skin (desquamation)
* Increased skin coloring (hyperpigmentation)
* Death of skin tissue (atrophy)
* Itching
* Fatigue and malaise
* Low blood counts
* Difficulty or pain swallowing
* Erythema
* Edema
* Changes in taste
* Anorexia
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Increased susceptibility to infection
* Fetal damage (in a pregnant woman)