The radiation oncologist and nurse will tell you about the side effects to watch for and how to deal with them. You should contact them if you have any unusual symptoms during treatment such as coughing, perspiring, fever, or unusual pain. Most side effects that occur during radiation therapy, although unpleasant, are not serious and can be controlled with medication or diet. These side effects usually diminish within a few weeks after treatment ends. However, some side effects may last longer.
Many patients have no side effects whatsoever.
Throughout each patient's treatment, the radiation oncologist will regularly check on the effects of the treatment. The physician may order tests to confirm that the radiation is causing as little damage to normal cells as possible. An example of the type of test would be a routine blood test to check the levels of white blood cells and platelets, which may be lower than normal during treatment. The side effects of radiation treatment vary from patient to patient. A patient may experience no side effects or only a few mild ones through a course of treatment.