Esophagitis is a common side effect of cancer treatment. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may cause the cancer patient to develop esophagitis. Radiation therapy may cause esophagitis in patients who are receiving treatment to the chest and neck area. Disease, Non-Hodgkin s Lymphoma, and head and neck cancers. After 2-3 weeks of radiation therapy these patients may begin to notice discomfort with swallowing.
Patients typically complain of burning in the neck and chest region.
The discomfort will usually last through the completion of treatment with radiation therapy. The patient will start to notice improvement about 2 weeks after the completion of therapy. In most patients the esophagitis is resolved 4-6 weeks after the radiation therapy has finished. Chemotherapy may also cause esophagitis. The esophagus is a muscular tube that is lined by a mucous membrane and may become irritated.