Radiation - chest - discharge; Cancer - chest radiation; Lymphoma - chest radiation; Thoracic radiation - lung cancer
When you have radiation treatment for cancer, your body goes through changes. Follow your health care provider's instructions on how to care for yourself at home. Use the information below as a reminder.
About 2 weeks after your first treatment:
For weeks to months after radiation treatment, you may notice shortness of breath. You are more likely to notice this when you are active. Contact your provider if you develop this symptom.
When you have radiation treatment, color markings are drawn on your skin. Do not remove them. These show where to aim the radiation. If they come off, do not redraw them. Tell your provider instead.
To take care of the treatment area:
Tell your provider if you have any breaks or openings in your skin.
You will likely feel tired after a few days. If so:
You need to eat enough protein and calories to keep your weight up.
To make eating easier:
Drink at least 8 to 12 cups (2 to 3 liters) of liquid each day, not including coffee or tea, or other drinks that have caffeine in them.
Don't drink alcohol or eat spicy foods, acidic foods, or foods that are very hot or cold. These will bother your throat.
If pills are hard to swallow, try crushing them and mixing them with ice cream or other soft food. Ask your provider or pharmacist before crushing your medicines. Some medicines do not work when crushed.
Watch out for these signs of lymphedema (fluid buildup) in your arm.
Ask your provider about exercises you can do to keep your arm moving freely.
Try using a humidifier or vaporizer in your bedroom or main living area. Do not smoke cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Do not chew tobacco.
Try sucking on sugar-free candy to add saliva to your mouth.
Mix one half teaspoon (tsp) or 3 grams (g) of salt and one quarter tsp or 1.4 g of baking soda in 8 ounces (oz) or 240 milliliters (ml) of warm water. Gargle with this solution several times a day. Do not use store-bought mouthwashes or lozenges.
You can ask your provider for medicine to help alleviate pain with swallowing if you are unable to eat enough food.
For a cough that does not go away:
Your provider may check your blood counts regularly, especially if the radiation treatment area is large.
Doroshow JH. Approach to the patient with cancer. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 164.
Machtay M, Teba CV. Pulmonary complications of anticancer treatment. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 47.
National Cancer Institute website. Radiation therapy and you: support for people with cancer. www.cancer.gov/publications/patient-education/radiation-therapy-and-you.pdf. Updated April 2021. Accessed June 3, 2024.
BACK TO TOPReview Date: 3/31/2024
Reviewed By: David Herold, MD, Radiation Oncologist in Jupiter, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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06/01/2025
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