Corel Medical Series: Cancer/Corel Medical Series: Cancer.iso/mac/Program/p06.dxr/00046_Field_SRC.p06.C.19.txt

Text File | 1997-02-04 | 2KB | 17 lines

     Radiation to the head and neck may also interfere with taste if your tongue is in the primary radiation beam.
  And the amount of saliva produced can be significantly reduced if the salivary glands happen to be in the
  treatment beam ( see "Special Nutritional Problems of Radiation Patients" ).
• Chest  Most patients receiving chest radiation will not have any local symptoms. But the esophagus, which
  carries food from the mouth to the stomach, passes through the chest and may develop a mucosal reaction
  similar to that described for the mouth. If this happens, you may develop heartburn-type symptoms, which
  can be relieved by taking liquid antacids such as Amphogel, Gelusil, Maalox, Mylanta or Riopan.
• Abdomen  The most significant side effects of radiation are associated with treatment to the abdomen. The
  larger the radiation field and the higher the dosage, the more likely you are to experience these effects.
      Radiation to the upper abdomen can cause nausea and vomiting, usually during the first few days of
  treatment. As the treatment progresses the symptoms often diminish.
      Treatment to the pelvis can be associated with cramps, perhaps followed by diarrhea during the second and
  third weeks of treatment. A low-residue diet or antidiarrhea medications such as loperamide, diphenoxylate or
  Kaopectate will usually control the problem.
      Most patients getting radiation treatment to the pelvis do not develop any significant bladder problems. But
  it is not unusual to have to urinate often, to feel an urgency to urinate or to feel some pain when urinating.
  Fortunately, these symptoms are usually temporary and will go away soon after the treatment course is