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- Skin Problems
- Fatigue
- Long Term side effects could include developing another cancer

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twenty one pilots - Cancer (My Chemical Romance Cover) [Official Lyric Video]

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How Radiation Therapy Works Against Cancer

At high doses, radiation therapy kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die. When the damaged cells die, they are broken down and removed by the body.

Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away. It takes days or weeks of treatment before DNA is damaged enough for cancer cells to die. Then, cancer cells keep dying for weeks or months after radiation therapy ends.

Types of Radiation Therapy

There are two main types of radiation therapy, external beam and internal.

The type of radiation therapy that you may have depends on many factors, including:

The type of cancer

The size of the tumor

The tumor's location in the body

How close the tumor is to normal tissues that are sensitive to radiation

Your general health and medical history

Whether you will have other types of cancer treatment

Other factors, such as your age and other medical conditions

External Beam Radiation Therapy
External beam radiation therapy comes from a machine that aims radiation at your cancer. The machine is large and may be noisy. It does not touch you, but can move around you, sending radiation to a part of your body from many directions.

External beam radiation therapy is a local treatment, which means it treats a specific part of your body. For example, if you have cancer in your lung, you will have radiation only to your chest, not to your whole body.
Learn more about external beam radiation therapy. Internal Radiation Therapy
Internal radiation therapy is a treatment in which a source of radiation is put inside your body. The radiation source can be solid or liquid.
Learn more about internal radiation therapy.

Why People with Cancer Receive Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is used to treat cancer and ease cancer symptoms.

When used to treat cancer, radiation therapy can cure cancer, prevent it from returning, or stop or slow its growth.

When treatments are used to ease symptoms, they are known as palliative treatments. External beam radiation may shrink tumors to treat pain and other problems caused by the tumor, such as trouble breathing or loss of bowel and bladder control. Pain from cancer that has spread to the bone can be treated with systemic radiation therapy drugs called radiopharmaceuticals.

Types of Cancer that Are Treated with Radiation Therapy

External beam radiation therapy is used to treat many types of cancer.

Internal radiation therapy is often used to treat cancers of the head and neck, breast, cervix, prostate, eye, and certain types of thyroid cancer.

How Radiation Is Used with Other Cancer Treatments

For some people, radiation may be the only treatment you need. But, most often, you will have radiation therapy with other cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Radiation therapy may be given before, during, or after these other treatments to improve the chances that treatment will work. The timing of when radiation therapy is given depends on the type of cancer being treated and whether the goal of radiation therapy is to treat the cancer or ease symptoms.

When radiation is combined with surgery, it can be given:

Before surgery, to shrink the size of the cancer so it can be removed by surgery and be less likely to return.

During surgery, so that it goes straight to the cancer without passing through the skin. Radiation therapy used this way is called intraoperative radiation. With this technique, doctors can more easily protect nearby normal tissues from radiation.

After surgery to kill any cancer cells that remain.

Lifetime Dose Limits

There is a limit to the amount of radiation an area of your body can safely receive over the course of your lifetime. Depending on how much radiation an area has already been treated with, you may not be able to have radiation therapy to that area a second time. But, if one area of the body has already received the safe lifetime dose of radiation, another area might still be treated if the distance between the two areas is large enough.

Radiation Therapy Can Cause Side Effects

Radiation not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells, it can also affect nearby healthy cells. Damage to healthy cells can cause side effects.
Learn more about the side effects of radiation therapy.

How Much Radiation Therapy Costs

Radiation therapy can be expensive. It uses complex machines and involves the services of many health care providers. The exact cost of your radiation therapy depends on the cost of health care where you live, what type of radiation therapy you get, and how many treatments you need.

Talk with your health insurance company about what services it will pay for. Most insurance plans pay for radiation therapy. To learn more, talk with the business office at the clinic or hospital where you go for treatment. If you need financial assistance, there are organizations that may be able to help. To find such organizations, go to the National Cancer Institute database, Organizations that Offer Support Services and search for "financial assistance." Or call toll-free 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) to ask for information on organizations that may help.

Special Diet Needs

Radiation can cause side effects that make it hard to eat, such as nausea, mouth sores, and throat problems called esophagitis. Since your body uses a lot of energy to heal during radiation therapy, it is important that you eat enough calories and protein to maintain your weight during treatment.

If you are having trouble eating and maintaining your weight, talk to your doctor or nurse. You might also find it helpful to speak with a dietitian. For more information about coping with eating problems see the booklet Eating Hints or read more about side effects.

Working During Radiation Therapy

Some people are able to work full-time during radiation therapy. Others can work only part-time or not at all. How much you are able to work depends on how you feel. Ask your doctor or nurse what you may expect from the treatment you will have.

You are likely to feel well enough to work when you first start your radiation treatments. As time goes on, do not be surprised if you are more tired, have less energy, or feel weak. Once you have finished treatment, it may take just a few weeks for you to feel better-or it could take months.

You may get to a point during your radiation therapy when you feel too sick to work. Talk with your employer to find out if you can go on medical leave. Check that your health insurance will pay for treatment while you are on medical leave.

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At high doses, radiation therapy kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged beyond repair stop dividing or die. When the damaged cells die, they are broken down and removed by the body. Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away.

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Radiation therapy uses x-rays or gamma rays to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA

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Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called lymphocytes. These cells are in the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other parts of the body. When you have lymphoma, lymphocytes change and grow out of control.

There are two main types of lymphoma:

Non-Hodgkin: Most people with lymphoma have this type.

Hodgkin

Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma involve different types of lymphocyte cells. Every type of lymphoma grows at a different rate and responds differently to treatment.

Lymphoma is very treatable, and the outlook can vary depending on the type of lymphoma and its stage. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment for your type and stage of the illness.

Lymphoma is different from leukemia. Each of these cancers starts in a different type of cell.

Lymphoma starts in infection-fighting lymphocytes.

Leukemia starts in blood-forming cells inside bone marrow.

Lymphoma is also not the same as lymphedema, which is a collection of fluid that forms in body tissues when there is damage or blockage to the lymph system.

Causes

Scientists don't know what causes lymphoma in most cases.

You might be more at risk if you:

Are in your 60s or older for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Are between 15 and 40 or older than 55 for Hodgkin lymphoma

Are male, although certain subtypes may be more common in females

Have a weak immune system from HIV/AIDS, an organ transplant, or because you were born with an immune disease

Have an immune system disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, lupus, or celiac disease

Have been infected with a virus such as Epstein-Barr, hepatitis C, or human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (HTLV-1)

Have a close relative who had lymphoma

Were exposed to benzene or chemicals that kill bugs and weeds

Were treated for Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the past

Were treated for cancer with radiation

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Symptoms

Warning signs of lymphoma include:

Swollen glands (lymph nodes), often in the neck, armpit, or groin that are painless

Cough

Shortness of breath

Fever

Night sweats

Fatigue

Weight loss

Itching

Many of these symptoms can also be warning signs of other illnesses. See your doctor to find out for sure if you have lymphoma.

Getting a Diagnosis

Before you have any tests, your doctor will want to know:

How have you been feeling?

When did you first notice changes?

Do you have pain? Where?

How is your appetite?

Have you lost any weight?

Do you feel tired or weak?

What are your current medical problems and treatments?

What is your past medical history including conditions and treatments?

What is your family medical history?

Your doctor will do a physical exam, including a check for swollen lymph nodes. This symptom doesn't mean you have cancer. Most of the time, an infection -- unrelated to cancer -- causes swollen lymph nodes.

You might get a lymph node biopsy to check for cancer cells. For this test, your doctor will remove all or part of a lymph node, or use a needle to take a small amount of tissue from the affected node.

You might also have one of these tests to help diagnose, stage, or manage lymphoma:

Bone marrow aspiration or biopsy. Your doctor uses a needle to remove fluid or tissue from your bone marrow -- the spongy part inside bone where blood cells are made -- to look for lymphoma cells.

Chest X-ray. It uses radiation in low doses to make images of the inside of your chest.

MRI. It uses powerful magnets and radio waves to make pictures of organs and structures inside your body.

PET scan. It uses a radioactive substance to look for cancer cells in your body.

Molecular test. It looks for changes to genes, proteins, and other substances in cancer cells to help your doctor figure out which type of lymphoma you have.

Blood tests. These check the number of certain cells, levels of other substances, or evidence of infection in your blood.

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Questions for Your Doctor

What type of lymphoma do I have?

What stage is my lymphoma?

Have you treated people with this kind of lymphoma before?

What are my treatment options?

How will the treatments make me feel?

What will help me feel better during my treatment?

Are there any complementary treatments I could consider, along with the usual medical care? Are there any I should avoid?

Treatment

The treatment you get depends on what type of lymphoma you have and its stage.

The main treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma are:

Chemotherapy, which uses drugs to kill cancer cells

Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells

Immunotherapy, which uses your body's immune system to attack cancer cells

Targeted therapy that targets aspects of lymphoma cells to curb their growth

The main treatments for Hodgkin lymphoma are:

Chemotherapy

Radiation therapy

Immunotherapy

If these treatments don't work, you might have a stem cell transplant. First you'll get very high doses of chemotherapy. This treatment kills cancer cells, but it also destroys stem cells in your bone marrow that make new blood cells. After chemotherapy, you will get a transplant of stem cells to replace the ones that were destroyed.

Two types of stem cell transplants can be done:

An autologous transplant uses your own stem cells.

An allogeneic transplant uses stem cells taken from a donor.

Taking Care of Yourself

Lymphoma treatment can cause side effects. Talk to your medical team about ways to relieve any symptoms you have.

Also ask your doctor about changes to your diet and exercise that can help you feel better during your treatment. Ask a dietitian for help if you're not sure what types of food to eat. Exercises like walking or swimming can relieve fatigue and help you feel better during treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. You might also try alternative therapies like relaxation, biofeedback, or guided imagery to help relieve pain.

What to Expect

Treatments have improved a lot, and many people do very well after treatment. Your doctor will talk to you about a survivorship care plan. Your outlook depends on:

The kind of lymphoma you have

How far the cancer has spread

Your age

The type of treatment you get

What other health problems you have

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Getting Support (Resources)

You can get support from people who have gone through this kind of illness.

Contact the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or Lymphoma Research Foundation to learn more.

Sources

SOURCES:

American Cancer Society: "Hodgkin Disease," "Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma."

Cancer Research UK: "About Hodgkin Lymphoma."

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research: "Hodgkin Lymphoma Prognosis."

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: "The Lymphoma Guide."

Lymphoma Research Foundation: "Physical Well-Being."

NHS: "Non-Hodgkin lymphoma."

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Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called lymphocytes. These cells are in the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other parts of the body. When you have lymphoma, lymphocytes change and grow out of control. There are two main types of lymphoma: Non-Hodgkin: Most people with lymphoma have this type.

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Lymphoma is a type of cancer that begins in the infection fighting cells in the immune system (lymphocytes)

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Chemo damages rapidly dividing cells but normal cells in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair also divide rapidly, so they get damaged too

cancer cells cant repair well
Side effects

anemia/low red blood cell counts

diarrhea

fatigue

fertility issues

hair changes

infection

memory loss

menopause and menopausal symptoms

mouth and throat sores

nail changes

nausea

neuropathy (problems with hands and feet)

taste and smell changes

vaginal dryness

vomiting

weight changes

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Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells because the medicines target rapidly dividing cells. But normal cells in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair also divide rapidly. So chemotherapy affects them, too.

The healthy cells in your body can repair the damage that chemotherapy causes -- your hair will grow back and your energy levels will rise. But cancer cells can't repair themselves very well.

The side effects you may have from chemotherapy depend on the regimen you're on, the amount of medicine you're getting, the length of treatment, and your general health. The side effects you have may be different from someone else who is on the same regimen.

While your body is recovering from chemotherapy, other medicines can help ease many of the side effects you may have. It's important to tell your doctor and oncology nurse about any side effects you're having. If medicines aren't controlling the side effects, your doctor or nurse can help you find something that works.

Most chemotherapy side effects go away shortly after you've finished chemotherapy. Still, some side effects may take several months or longer to go away completely. When you and your doctor are deciding on a chemotherapy regimen, weighing the benefits versus the side effects is part of the process. Your doctor can give you an idea of the side effects you're likely to have.

Learn more about some of the most common chemotherapy side effects by clicking on the links below:

Chemotherapy also may cause other side effects that are less common, but more serious:

Read and download Community Member tips for chemotherapy treatment(PDF).

Expert Quote

"If you have problems with symptoms, they can be improved. You should call. I get very upset if someone says, 'I was throwing up,' but they never called. I hate that, because we could have helped them, if we had known."
-- Barbara Reville, M.S., CRNP

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Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects | Breastcancer.org

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Chemotherapy destroys cancer cells because the medicines target rapidly dividing cells. But normal cells in your blood, mouth, intestinal tract, nose, nails, vagina, and hair also divide rapidly. So chemotherapy affects them, too. The healthy cells in your body can repair the damage that chemotherapy causes -- your hair will grow back and your energy levels will rise.

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Cancer
Cancertastic
Support group

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Powerful: Doctors, momPowerless: HazelSeems very calm about her condition

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Depression from disease
Odd eating habits
Support group= someone to lean on
Coarse language= depression
Cancertastic?