Radiotherapy is one of the main methods of liver cancer treatment, but radiotherapy has some side effects while killing cancer cells, the following are the side effects of radiotherapy for liver cancer and its treatment methods.
1. Fatigue
During radiotherapy, the body uses a lot of energy to recover itself. The stress brought by the disease, the daily round trip treatment and the effect of radiation on normal cells will lead to fatigue. Most liver cancer patients will feel tired after several weeks of radiotherapy, and will feel more fatigued as radiotherapy continues.
After radiation therapy is over, the weakness and fatigue will gradually disappear. During radiation therapy, liver cancer patients should do less. If you feel fatigued, you should do less activities and rest more in your free time. Go to bed early at night, and possibly rest during the day as well.
2.Skin
After radiotherapy for liver cancer patients, the skin often becomes dry. Patients should tell these symptoms to their doctors, who will make suggestions to eliminate your discomfort. Most of the skin reactions will be eliminated a few weeks after the end of radiation therapy. Patients should treat their skin with care, and the following are some suggestions from the Medical Education Network.
(1) Use cold water and mild soap; let the water run over the skin treated with radiation therapy 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 long-sleeved shirt) and use sunscreen.
3. 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 liver cancer 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.
4. Diet
Side effects of radiotherapy for liver cancer also include diet and digestive problems. During the treatment, you may have no appetite at all. Even if you do not 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.
Ways to solve eating problems
(1) If you feel pain when chewing and swallowing food, it is recommended that you eat powdered or liquid foods. These foods are available in stores and come in many flavors. They can be used in combination with other foods.
(2) Eat small, frequent meals.
(3) Do not drink alcohol, which can aggravate the side effects of radiation therapy.
(4) Take some herbs that have the effect of strengthening the spleen and appetite.
(5) Add butter or margarine to food.
(6) Drink milk instead of water.
(7) Drink some milk and other things between meals.
(8) Add some seasoning or cream on vegetables.
5.Emotions
Many patients will feel depressed, scared, angry, defeated, lonely or helpless. You may also feel very tired due to radiation therapy, which will destroy your emotions. 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.
Overall, radiotherapy for liver cancer will inevitably cause damage to normal cells in the body. Patients are advised to take some traditional Chinese medicines with anti-tumor and supportive effects, such as Chinese, while taking radiotherapy, which can enhance the efficacy on one hand, and can reduce the side effects of radiotherapy for liver cancer and improve the immunity of the body on the other hand.