1. Fatigue: During radiotherapy, the body uses a lot of energy to heal itself. The stress of the disease, the daily commute to treatment and the effects of radiation on normal cells can all lead to fatigue. Most people feel tired after a few weeks of radiation therapy, and will feel more fatigued as the therapy continues. The weakness and fatigue will gradually disappear after radiation therapy is completed. During radiation therapy, patients should do less. If you feel fatigued, then be less active and rest more during your free time. Go to bed early at night and possibly rest during the day. You can ask family members and friends to help with household chores, shopping, child care or driving. You can also ask your neighbors to help you buy something when you go shopping. 2. Skin: The skin in the treatment area is sensitive and looks red and wrinkled. After a few weeks, the patient’s skin becomes dry due to radiation therapy. Patients should tell your doctor about these symptoms and he or she will make suggestions to eliminate your discomfort. Most skin reactions will clear up a few weeks after radiation therapy ends. In some cases, the skin treated with radiation therapy may be slightly darker than before. (1) Use cold water and mild soap; let the water run over the treated skin without rubbing. (2) Do not wear clothes that are too tight on the treated area. (3) Do not rub or scratch the sensitive area. (4) Do not put hot or cold things, such as hot towels or ice packs, on the skin undergoing radiation therapy, unless your doctor recommends it. (5) Do not rub powders, creams, perfumes, deodorants, ointments, lotions and household medications on the area being treated and for a few weeks after treatment, unless approved by your doctor. (Many skin products can leave a layer on the skin, which may hinder radiotherapy or recovery). (6) Do not expose the area that received radiation therapy to sunlight during and for one year after radiation therapy is completed. If you want to stay in the sun for a few more minutes, wear protective clothing (such as a wide-brimmed hat and a long-sleeved shirt) as well as using sunscreen. 3. Hair loss: Radiation therapy can cause hair loss (baldness) in the treated area. For example, if your hips are treated, your hair will not fall out. However, if you receive radiation therapy to your head, it will cause some or all of the hair on your scalp to fall out. Many patients know that their hair will grow back once the treatment is over, but they still have a hard time adjusting to the hair loss. The amount of hair that grows back depends on the radiation dose the patient receives and the form of radiation therapy used. For example, if the radiation treatment is for symptom relief, your hair will grow back slowly; but if the purpose of the radiation treatment is to cure the cancer, your hair will not grow back, and this indicates that you have achieved the effect of the treatment. After hair loss your scalp becomes soft and you can cover your head. In the sun, you should wear a hat or scarf to protect your head. If you wear a wig, you want to make sure that the inner layer of the wig does not irritate your scalp. 4. Blood: Radiation therapy hardly ever lowers the white blood cell count or platelet count. These blood cells help the body fight infection and prevent bleeding. If a patient’s blood tests show that radiation therapy has lowered the white blood cell count or platelet count, treatment will be held off for a week in order to increase the patient’s blood cell count. 5. Diet: Side effects also include eating and digestive problems. During treatment, you may have no appetite at all. Even if you don’t feel hungry, it is important to consume more protein and calories. Doctors have found that patients with a good appetite can cope better with cancer and its side effects. Some people find that they can also eat a lot of liquid food when they don’t want to eat solid food. If this is true for you, you add powdered milk, yogurt, honey or liquid supplements to your drinks. 6. Emotions: Many patients will feel depressed, scared, angry, defeated, lonely or helpless. You may also feel tired due to radiation therapy, which can ruin your mood. You can consult with your doctor or local cancer society about these problems and find opportunities to work through them with people who care about you.