What is External Beam Radiation Therapy
External beam radiation therapy is a type of radiation treatment. This type of radiation therapy can deliver radiation to a fairly large area. This is the most common type of radiation therapy for cancer. This therapy may be done to:
- Treat
cancer by:
- Destroying cancer cells. Radiation delivered during the treatment damages cancer cells. It may also damage normal cells, but normal cells have the DNA to repair themselves while cancer cells do not.
- Helping with symptoms of your cancer.
- Stopping the growth of any remaining cancer cells after surgery.
- Preventing cancer cells from growing in areas that do not have cancer (prophylactic radiation therapy).
- Treat or shrink a tumor.
- Reduce pain (palliative therapy).
The amount of radiation you will receive and the length of therapy depend on your medical condition. You should not feel the radiation being delivered or any pain during your therapy.
Let your health care provider know about:
- Any allergies you have.
- All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
- Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
- Any blood disorders you have.
- Any surgeries you have had.
- Any medical conditions you have.
- Whether you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
What are the risks?
Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, radiation therapy can place a person at a higher risk for a second cancer later in life.
Most people experience side effects from the therapy. Side effects depend on the amount of radiation and the part of the body that was exposed to radiation. The most common side effects include:
- Skin changes.
- Hair loss.
- Fatigue.
- Nausea and vomiting.
What happens before the procedure?
- There
will be a planning session (simulation). During the session:
- Your health care provider will plan exactly where the radiation will be delivered (treatment field).
- You will be positioned for your therapy. The goal is to have a position that can be reproduced for each therapy session.
- Temporary marks may be drawn on your body. Permanent marks may also be drawn on your body in order for you to be positioned the same way for each therapy session.
- A tool that holds a body part in place (immobilization device) may be used to keep the area of treatment in the correct position.
- Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
- Ask your health care provider about changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
What happens during the procedure?
- You will either lie on a table or sit in a chair in the position determined for your therapy.
- You may have a heavy shield placed on you to protect tissues and organs that are not being treated.
- The radiation machine (linear accelerator) will move around you to deliver the radiation in exact doses from different angles. The machine will not touch you.
The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.
What happens after the procedure?
- You may return to your normal routine including diet, activities, and medicines as told by your health care provider.
- You may want to have someone take you home from the hospital or clinic.
Summary
- External beam radiation therapy is a type of radiation treatment for cancer.
- The amount of radiation you will receive and the length of therapy depend on your medical condition.
- Most people experience side effects from the therapy. Side effects depend on the amount of radiation and the part of the body that was exposed to radiation.
External Beam Radiation Therapy, Care After
This sheet gives you information about how to care for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. If you have problems or questions, contact your health care provider.
What can I expect after the procedure?
After the procedure, it is common to have:
- Fatigue.
- Red, flaking, dry skin in the treated area.
- A sunburn-like rash on the skin in the treated area.
- Hair loss in the treated area.
- Itching in the treated area.
Other side effects may occur, depending on which part of the body was exposed to radiation and how much radiation was used. These may include:
- Hair loss if the radiation therapy was directed to the head.
- Coughing or difficulty swallowing if the radiation therapy was directed to the head, neck, or chest
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea if the radiation therapy was directed to the abdomen or pelvis.
- Bladder problems, frequent urination, or sexual dysfunction if the radiation therapy was directed to the bladder, kidney, or prostate.
- Memory loss and cognitive changes if the radiation therapy was directed to your brain.
Although some side effects may show up months to years later, most side effects are usually temporary and get better over time. It can take up to 3–4 weeks for you to regain your energy or for side effects to get better.
Follow these instructions at home:
Skin care
- Wash your skin with a mild soap as told by your health care provider. Do not scrub or rub your skin. Pat yourself dry.
- Use a mild shampoo and be gentle when washing your hair.
- Apply gentle lotion or cream to the treated area as told by your health care provider.
- Keep the treated area covered when you are outside. Do notexpose treated skin to the sun.
- Avoid scratching the treated area.
General instructions
- Do not use a heating pad or a warm cloth to relieve pain in the treated area.
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
- Follow your health care provider’s advice on the type and amount of liquids to drink each day.
- Try to maintain your weight during treatment. Ask your health care team for tips.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important. The visits are usually scheduled 6 weeks to 6 months after radiation therapy. They are needed to determine if the radiation therapy worked as it was intended to.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You have pain in the treated area.
- The redness worsens in the treated area.
- Open skin or blisters develop in the treated area.
- You have unexplained weight loss.
Get help right away if:
- You have a fever.
- You have nausea or vomiting that lasts a long time.
- You have diarrhea that lasts a long time.
Summary
- After this procedure, it is common to have fatigue, skin changes and other side effects depending on where the radiation therapy was given.
- Although some side effects may show up months to years later, most side effects are usually temporary and get better over time. It can take up to 3–4 weeks for you to regain your energy or for side effects to get better.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important. The visits are usually scheduled 6 weeks to 6 months after radiation therapy.
