CA
A 34-year-old member asked:
What should i expect after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer?
4 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Patrick Melderanswered
ENT and Head and Neck Surgery 29 years experience
Dry mouth: Depending on the radiation field.. Dry mouth is very common, hoarseness, and tightening of the skin of the neck. Sometimes difficulty swallowing.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Ritesh Rathoreanswered
Hematology and Oncology 32 years experience
Many issues: Radiation therapy can give short-term and permanent side effects. Mouth sores, swallowing difficulties, pain, skin burns usually happen during and right after radiation nut get better over time. Permanent side effects include mouth dryness, swallowing difficulties, skin thickening, speech changes.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Simon Rosenberganswered
Prosthodontics 48 years experience
Dental problems also: The dry mouth increases the decay rate and the pattern is different from traditional caries as the decay is rapid onset, circumferential, and generally hard to treat with frequent recurrence. When teeth are extracted the bone may not heal and bone death and loss of jaw is possible. This is called osteoradionecrosis.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A Verified Doctoranswered
41 years experience
Radiation: Great question. Many people have redness of the skin, dry mouth and throat and problems with swallowing. It depends on the areas that are radiated. Hang in there with it. It usually gets better with time.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Similar questions
A 28-year-old member asked:
What are the goals of nutrition during radiation therapy for the head and neck ?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Albert Pizzoanswered
Family Medicine 62 years experience
Diet with radiation: Because radiation therapy to head and neck often has a profound effect on the ability to ear, loss of appetite, nausea and subsequent weight loss, the patient must be treated to prevent mal-nutrition. Often a stomach tube is inserted so a nutritious diet can be given during the radiation therapy period.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Mar 24, 2020
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