What to Expect from Radiation Treatment
Understanding not just how radiation therapy works but also how it will impact your life before, during, and after treatment, is important. We understand that this is uncharted territory for many of our patients, and we’re here to answer as many of your questions as we can.
On this page, you’ll find a few of our frequently asked questions about what to expect from treatment. We hope you find the answers you are looking for here, but if not, please call with any questions.
What is the difference between radiation and chemotherapy?
Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are both used to battle cancer cells, but they work in different ways. Radiation treatment uses high-energy beams to target and kill cancer cells located at a specific tumor site (such as in your prostate). Chemotherapy, on the other hand, is a cytotoxic medication given intravenously, which targets and kills cancer cells throughout the entire body.
What are the side effects of radiation therapy?
You may not feel any side effects of radiation therapy right away, but they tend to begin one or two weeks after treatment starts. The number and intensity of the side effects you feel will depend on your specific cancer and treatment plan, so keep in mind that you may not experience all of the side effects listed. Please reach out to your radiation team if you have any concerns.
- Fatigue
- Sore skin & tenderness
- Hair loss
I’m receiving radiation on my prostate. Will there be any side effects related to my bowels?
Radiation side effects vary based on treatment area, so being treated for prostate cancer may also experience the following side effects in your bowels. Some natural ways to combat these side effects include hydrating with lots of water and avoiding foods and drinks that aggravate the bowels (caffeine, fizzy drinks, alcohol, high fiber foods, very spicy foods, etc.)
Problems urinating. During radiation treatment for prostate cancer, your bladder may become inflamed. This can make it difficult to pass urine, and you may even feel as though you have to go all the time—but when the time comes, there’s not much there. Some patients feel as if they have a bladder infection and feel a burning pain when they do pass urine.
It’s important to drink lots of water throughout treatment, as this can be helpful with bladder issues (sorry, but cranberry juice doesn’t help with the inflammation caused by radiation). If you are feeling any pain when urinating, please let your treatment team know, as they will need to check for infection and possibly prescribe antibiotics.
More and smaller bowel movements. Your digestion may be impacted, and you may find that you need to use the toilet more frequently than you used to—this is because the bowels may be weakened by radiation treatment.. Your stool may also be softer and smaller in quantity than it used to be.
Loose or watery stool. Drinking lots of fluids will help you stay hydrated and naturally combat loose stool or diarrhea. If you do experience diarrhea, please let your treatment team know—they can provide recommendations to help, including prescribing medicine if needed and/or creams to help soothe the skin around the rectum.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will I still be able to get an erection after radiation treatment for prostate cancer? What if I want to have kids?
Some men have difficulty getting an erection after radiation treatment for prostate cancer because treatment can damage the nerves that control erections. This depends on many factors, including age, other health conditions, whether you had issues before treatment, and others. If you are having trouble getting an erection after your treatment, talk to your doctor as soon as possible; they can refer you to a specialist who can help.
Radiation treatment can cause infertility, so if you are considering having children in the future, be sure to discuss your options with the team and your partner.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy together?
If your treatment plan includes both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, your side effects will differ. Sometimes, combined therapy regimens can decrease side effects, while other times it may increase them. Fatigue, digestive issues, skin problems, hair loss, and pain are all common side effects that you may experience on a combined regimen.
How long will I receive radiation treatment?
A typical radiation treatment plan lasts for 3 to 9 weeks, depending on the size and location of the tumor. Throughout treatment, patients usually have 5 sessions per week.
How long will a single radiation treatment take?
A radiation treatment takes about 15 minutes. We don’t want treatment to disrupt your life any more than necessary, and though we love seeing you, we know that you have other things to get back to!
Can I drive after radiation treatment? Or do I need to have someone drive me to and from my appointments?
In general, it is safe to drive after radiation treatment unless you find that you are feeling extremely fatigued or ill. In some cases, if you are taking a strong pain medication, your doctor may recommend that you not drive. Of course, if you want to have a family member or friend accompany you to your treatments, please do!
Is it safe to be around someone receiving radiation therapy?
There are multiple kinds of radiation therapy: external beam radiation, internal radiation, and systemic radiation.
External beam radiation means that the radiation is delivered from outside the body and no radiation remains on or in the individual following treatment. As such, it’s completely safe to be around others.
If you are receiving internal radiation using an implant near the tumor, you may need to avoid touching the patient until the implant is removed, limit time spent with the patient, or stay a certain distance away from the patient. Pregnant women and children might also be advised to keep a distance from patients.
For patients receiving systemic radiation via radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs), some radioactive material may leave your body through bodily fluids—saliva, sweat, blood, and urine, for example. That means those fluids are then radioactive and should be avoided by others.
The above is meant to provide a general overview of safety practices while receiving radiation therapy, but it is very important to discuss this with your care team as well, as they can provide you with more specific instructions based on your unique treatment plan.
What should I expect after radiation treatment for prostate cancer?
First, congratulations on completing your treatment! While you will no longer be coming in each day for treatments, your body will need time to fully recover. You may feel the same side effects persist after treatment for several weeks, though they should lessen over time. In general, most patients feel well enough to continue with their regular daily activities.
Will I have to get another treatment after radiation?
Typically, patients will not need to receive additional treatment once they have completed radiation therapy. Prior to and during radiation treatment, your team will evaluate the need for further treatment based on your PSA levels, Gleason score, and whether your radiation treatments are being administered as scheduled. Regular monitoring of your PSA levels after treatment is completed is critical for determining whether or not another type of treatment is recommended following radiation.