What are the side effects of radiation therapy for bladder cancer?
Possible side effects of radiation therapy
- Skin changes in areas getting radiation, ranging from redness to blistering and peeling.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Bladder symptoms, like burning or pain when you urinate, feeling the need to go often, or blood in your urine.
- Diarrhea.
- Blood in stool and/or urine.
- Tiredness (fatigue)
What is the success rate of radiation therapy for bladder cancer?
A CR was confirmed in 83% of the patients. The overall and cancer-specific survival rates at 3 years were 61% and 71%, respectively. Of the surviving patients, 75% have a disease-free and functioning bladder.
What is the #1 side effect of radiation therapy?
The most common early side effects are fatigue (feeling tired) and skin changes. Other early side effects usually are related to the area being treated, such as hair loss and mouth problems when radiation treatment is given to this area. Late side effects can take months or even years to develop.
What are the possible side effects of radiation therapy to this area?
Treatment Areas and Possible Side Effects
- Fatigue.
- Hair loss.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Skin changes.
- Headache.
- Blurry vision.
What is the latest treatment for bladder cancer?
Advanced and metastatic bladder cancer treatment A notable new FDA approval in December 2019 was enfortumab vedotin (Padcev), approved for advanced bladder cancer patients who have not responded to chemotherapy or immune checkpoint drugs.
How many radiotherapy sessions are needed for bladder cancer?
Radiotherapy with a radiosensitiser Sessions are usually given on a daily basis for 5 days a week over the course of 4 to 7 weeks. Each session lasts for about 10 to 15 minutes. A medicine called a radiosensitiser should also be given alongside radiotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
What is the life expectancy for someone with bladder cancer?
The general 5-year survival rate for people with bladder cancer is 77%. However, survival rates depend on many factors, including the type and stage of bladder cancer that is diagnosed. The 5-year survival rate of people with bladder cancer that has not spread beyond the inner layer of the bladder wall is 96%.
Can I to take radiation therapy for bladder cancer?
Radiation therapy can also be used to treat patients with advanced bladder cancer that has spread beyond the bladder to nearby organs or to distant parts of the body. For these patients, radiation therapy may be used as part of the first treatment of the tumor (s) or it can be used to help prevent and/or treat symptoms that the tumors can cause.
How was radiation therapy treated for bladder cancer?
Radiation therapy for bladder cancer usually is delivered from a machine that moves around your body, directing the energy beams to precise points. Radiation therapy is sometimes combined with chemotherapy to treat bladder cancer in certain situations, such as when surgery isn’t an option or isn’t desired.
Does radiation damage the bladder and ureter?
Radiation that was given in the abdomen for gynecologic, testicular, or pediatric cancers can cause scarring of the kidney or the ureters (the urinary tubes connecting the kidney to the bladder). Radiation that was given in the pelvis for problems like prostate, bladder, colorectal, and cervical cancer can also damage the urinary structures.
What are the side effects of radiation for cancer treatment?
Like other cancer treatments, radiation may cause unpleasant side effects, such as overall fatigue, skin irritation, and other side effects depending on the part of the body being treated. Every person reacts differently to treatment.
