What Are The Side Effects Of Radiation Therapy?

Skin Problems

It is common for patients having radiation therapy as part of their treatment to experience skin problems. External radiation therapy typically causes skin problems to occur due to the mechanism of the treatment. The high energy beams of radiation or particles have to pass through the patient's skin to reach the tissues underneath it that are being treated. These skin issues occur because radiation therapy causes damage to the cells that make up the skin tissue it passes through. This mechanism is similar to sunburn but has been described as more painful and concentrated only to the skin above the area being treated. It is common to see the skin become red, itchy, and dry in some cases as a result of radiation therapy. The skin may appear to be swollen, and blisters may form in some patients who have more sensitive skin than others. The skin may also become darker in the area, similar to the way an individual's skin would tan when exposed to the sun. Reactions that occur on a patient's skin due to radiation therapy typically resolve within a month following the final treatment session.

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