You do not need to hold your breath. You will not feel anything during the treatment. Radiation is painless. You will not see, hear, or smell radiation. The RTT will leave the room. You will be alone in the room, but there is a closed circuit TV and an intercom in the room. The RTT can see and hear you at all times. If you think you need to move, tell the therapist at once. The machine can be turned off. The radiation machine is quite large.
The machine can move around you and it will make noises. The RTT can control the movement of the machine from outside the room. The therapist will be checking the machine at all times. A physicist checks the accuracy of the machine often. You may possibly have several types of tests or checks during your treatment course.
Port films an X-ray taken by the treatment machine are taken to make sure that positioning is exactly where it should be. Some types of radiation treatment areas will require weekly blood tests to check the blood cell counts. The radiation oncologist will meet with you about once a week.
This visit is to check on how your body has been reacting to treatment. Be sure and tell your doctor any symptoms you are having. The side effects of radiation therapy are mainly confined to the area being treated. Fatigue tiredness is a side effect that can be experienced by anyone undergoing radiation. Get plenty of rest and sleep when you need to. Sometimes several shorter naps or breaks may be more helpful than a long rest period.
Mild or light exercise, such as walking, may help decrease fatigue. The degree of tiredness will be different in each person. Some people with desk jobs continue to work as usual.
Others feel best if they work half days. Persons who do heavy labor may need to take time off during radiation therapy and for a few weeks after treatment is completed. Some side effects come on quickly. They happen while you are receiving treatment. Late effects are changes in the body that happen as a result of radiation. They do not show up until a few months to years after radiation is done. Ask your doctor about what the possible side and late effects are for your type of radiation therapy.
You may have different side effects depending on what type of cancer you have and where on the body radiation treatment is being delivered to. Brain swelling is a common side effect that will go away. This swelling may cause an increase in your brain tumor symptoms. Medicines called steroids are often used to reduce brain swelling.
Hair loss—hair loss will begin after about two weeks of treatment. Your hair will begin to return months after treatments have ended. Soft scarves or hats are attractive and comfortable as a cover for the head until hair grows back. With higher doses of radiation to the brain, hair loss can be permanent.
Radiation treatment of head and neck tumors cause some side effects. Dry mouth is caused because the glands that make saliva spit are in the area of radiation. Saliva can become thick and you may have less saliva. The decrease in saliva can cause a greater chance for cavities in the teeth. You will need to be seen by a dentist before starting treatment. Oncol Lett. Effects of radiation on the metastatic process. Mol Med. Early dissemination seeds metastasis in breast cancer.
IL-1beta inflammatory response driven by primary breast cancer prevents metastasis-initiating cell colonization. Nat Cell Biol. Acute symptoms during the course of head and neck radiotherapy or chemoradiation are strong predictors of late dysphagia. Radiotherapy Oncol ; 1 — Effects of prolongation of overall treatment time due to unplanned interruptions during radiotherapy of different tumor sites and practical methods for compensation.
Download references. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript. Correspondence to Ngan-Ming Tsang. The study was granted ethical approval No.
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Reprints and Permissions. Chiang, YY. Missed radiation therapy sessions in first three weeks predict distant metastasis and less favorable outcomes in surgically treated patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. Radiat Oncol 15, Download citation. Received : 20 April Accepted : 04 August Published : 14 August Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.
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Skip to main content. Search all BMC articles Search. Download PDF. Abstract Background We sought to investigate the prognostic impact of missed RT sessions in patients who had undergone surgery for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma OCSCC. Background Malignancies of the oral cavity represent a major public health concern, with over , new yearly cases being diagnosed worldwide [ 1 ].
Definition of variables The performance status was calculated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scale. Definition of outcomes OS — calculated as the time elapsed in years from the start of RT to the date of death — was the main outcome measure. Results Patient characteristics The median age of the study participants was Table 1 General characteristics of the study patients Full size table. Full size image.
Table 2 Univariate analyses of freedom from distant metastases, locoregional control, and overall survival rates Full size table. Table 3 Multivariate analyses of freedom from distant metastases, locoregional control, and overall survival rates Full size table.
Discussion The present retrospective study demonstrates that early missed RT versus RT as scheduled was an independent adverse predictor of OS in a large cohort of patients with OCSCC enrolled in an endemic betel quid chewing area.
Availability of data and materials The dataset on which the study is based are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. References 1. Get a Ride to Radiation Therapy Use these transportation tips to make all your radiation appointments.
To make all your radiation therapy appointments, follow these tips: Think about transportation when scheduling appointments. At the outset, talk to your health care team about problems you may face getting someone to take you to your appointments.
If cost is an issue, talk to a hospital social worker or a patient navigator. Financial support may be available. If transportation falls through at the last minute, call your health care provider, who may be able to help. Ask friends or family members if they can help with transportation or child care.
Before you start treatment, contact a cancer support group. It may be able to help with transportation costs or services. Do not move once your simulation begins, because it may change your position. To help pass the time, your therapists can play music for you. You may bring a CD of your own from home, if you wish. Depending on the area of your body that is being treated, you may lie on your stomach or on your back.
Your arms may be raised above your head or at your sides. We may need to make a mold of your body to help you stay in the same position. Making the mold takes about 15 minutes and will happen during your simulation. These may be done on an x-ray machine called a simulator or on a computed tomography CT scan machine see Figure 1. These scans are used only to map your treatment. If you need other imaging, your nurse will explain this to you. It will take about 45 minutes to get your x-rays.
Even if the noise seems loud, your therapists will be able to hear you if you speak with them. Your therapists will draw on your skin in the area being treated with a felt marker. You may need permanent skin markings called tattoos. Your therapists will use a sterile needle and a drop of ink to make the tattoo. The sensation of getting one feels like a pinprick.
The tattoo marks are no bigger than the head of a pin. The felt marking can be washed off after your simulation. After the tattoos are made, your therapists will take several photographs of you in your simulation position.
The photographs and tattoo marks will be used to position you correctly on the table each day of your treatment. At the end of your simulation, we will give you an appointment for your set-up procedure. This is the final appointment before your treatment begins. Radiation treatments may be given Monday through Friday. For some people, the treatment is given in just one day. For other people the treatment is given over a number of weeks. Treatment may not be as effective if you skip or miss appointments.
If you need additional time due to unforeseen circumstances, your radiation oncologist will tell you. If you need to change your schedule for any reason, speak with your radiation therapist. During the time between your simulation and start of treatment, your radiation oncologist will work with a team to plan your treatment.
The details are carefully planned and checked. This takes between 5 days and 2 weeks. Many people ask about taking vitamins during treatment. You may take a daily multivitamin, if you wish. Do not take more than the recommended daily allowance of any vitamin. Do not take any other vitamins or any supplements without talking to your doctor. This includes both nutritional and herbal supplements. This generally takes about 1 hour.
If pain medication was helpful during simulation, you may want to take it before this procedure. Special x-rays called beam films will be taken to make sure that your position and the area being treated are correct. The beam films will be repeated throughout your treatment. Depending on your treatment plan, you may start treatment on the same day as your set up procedure or 1 to 2 days later. After you check in at the reception desk, have a seat in the waiting room.
You should keep your shoes on during the treatment. Your radiation therapists will bring you into the treatment room and help you lie on the table see Figure 2. Most of this time will be spent putting you in the correct position.
The actual treatment only takes a few minutes. Breathe normally during the treatment, but do not move. They can turn off the machine and come in to see you at any time, if necessary. Neither you, nor your clothes will become radioactive during or after treatment. Your radiation oncologist and radiation nurse will see you each week to talk with you about any concerns, ask about any side effects you may be having, and answer your questions. You should plan on being at your appointment about 1 extra hour on those days.
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