Side Effects Of Chemo And Radiation For Rectal Cancer

Some occur as soon as treatment begins while others hit weeks later because of the cumulative effects of chemo medications or exposure to radiation.

Side effects of chemo and radiation for rectal cancer.

Chemotherapy and radiation are two of the most effective treatments for cancer. Many people who get radiation therapy experience fatigue. The goal is to destroy or damage the cancer without hurting too many healthy cells. Radiation therapy has side effects because it not only kills or slows the growth of cancer cells it can also affect nearby healthy cells.

The side effects will vary depending on the type of chemo drugs or radiation treatment you get. This treatment can cause side. Chemo drugs for colon or rectal cancer that are given into a vein iv can be given either as an injection over a few minutes or as an infusion over a longer period of time. This information may help women and their clinicians more accurately weigh the potential benefits versus harms of adjuvant therapy said the trial s.

Chemotherapy hormone therapy radiation surgery targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Some people have many side effects. As newer types of cancer treatment are developed such as immunotherapy doctors may find that these treatments also cause late effects in cancer survivors. Either before and or after surgery often along with chemotherapy to help keep the cancer from coming back.

Cancer therapies like chemotherapy and radiation can be life extending and life saving but they come with side effects. Late effects of cancer treatment can come from any of the main types of cancer treatment. Other side effects depend on the part of the body that is being treated. Learn more about possible side effects.

For rectal cancer radiation therapy is a more common treatment and may be used. Many doctors now favor giving radiation therapy before surgery as it may make it easier to remove the cancer especially if the cancer s size and or. Radiation for anal cancer typically recurrent anal cancer may focus on areas where the cancer has progressed. The radiation kills the cancer cells over time.

Radiation therapy treats cancer by using high energy waves to kill tumor cells. Women undergoing radiation therapy for cervical or uterine cancer have a much higher incidence of serious side effects than previously realized according to results from a new clinical trial. In some cases brachytherapy may be used instead of external radiation therapy before surgery to treat rectal cancer.