For example, Denberg et al. found that among 20 men diagnosed with LPC at a Veterans Administration Hospitall, most confused radiation therapy with chemotherapy side effects, erroneously believing hair loss to be a common side effect of radiation therapy [ 16].
"The side effects of radiation were mild," he said.
The potential side effects of radiation and chemotherapy have been known for years, especially among survivors of childhood cancers.
Long-term side effects of radiation treatment include erectile dysfunction, frequent urination, bleeding and incontinence.
Jawbone death has long been a known side effect of radiation in patients being treated for oral cancer.
Side effects of radiation include swelling or thickening of the breast, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, or skin irritations resembling sunburn.
The development of long-term side effects of radiation therapy depends on which tissues are exposed to radiation beams, the age of the patient, and the dose of radiation.
However, compared to x-rays, protons cause less damage to healthy tissue in front of the tumour, and no damage at all to healthy tissue lying behind, which greatly reduces the side effects of radiation therapy.
The absence of an exit dose of protons makes proton beam therapy preferable for many situations in which a tumour is adjacent to a critical structure, such as the spinal cord, which cannot tolerate high doses of ionizing radiation, or in the treatment of children, in whom avoiding normal tissues significantly decreases the long-term side effects of radiation therapy.
Its main product, Salagen Tablets, helps with the side effects of radiation treatment.
