Introduction
Radiation therapy (also known as radiotherapy or radiotherapy) represents an important therapeutic approach in the treatment of oncological diseases (cancer). It is usually used in combination with chemotherapy and surgery. Often, the side effects of radiation therapy cannot be clearly separated from the complications of other therapy options. In addition, the various therapeutic approaches sometimes have very similar side effects, which are mutually reinforcing in their severity. Since the irradiation has the goal of destroying tumor cells, the side effects are also often based on the destruction of healthy cells.
Causes
The causes of the side effects of radiation therapy lie in the radiation itself. Radiotherapy is used to destroy tumor cells. Since the rays cannot be directed exclusively at diseased cells, much surrounding tissue is also irradiated.
This results in the side effects of radiation therapy. For example, high radiation exposure can lead to an acute radiation reaction with reddening of the skin and inflammation of the irradiated areas. If, for example, a lot of lung tissue is irradiated, radiation pneumonitis (an inflammation of the lungs due to radiation) occurs, which causes breathing difficulties, fever and coughing.
When bone marrow is irradiated, the haematopoietic cells are damaged, resulting in anaemia and a lack of white blood cells (leukocytopenia) and platelets (thrombocytopenia). Due to the lack of white blood cells, the immune system is severely weakened and infectious diseases can occur. The lack of blood platelets can lead to large bleedings up to life-threatening blood losses.
Chronic radiation damage can also be triggered by radiation. For example, various organs can be permanently damaged, resulting in functional disorders in the intestines or thyroid gland. If the radiation hits the ovaries or the testicles, this can lead to infertility. The radiation damages the egg cells and sperm or can lead to changes in the genetic material there. Changes in the genetic material of other cells also increase the risk of cancer developing again at the irradiated site.
