[[{"@type":["BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/#BlogPosting","@context":{"@vocab":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","kg":"http:\/\/g.co\/kg"},"url":["https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/","https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/"],"publisher":[{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],"author":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/#BlogPosting_author_Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/#BlogPosting_image_ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Radiation-Therapy.jpg"}],"headline":"Weighing the Consequences of Radiation Therapy","dateModified":"2021-11-11T14:28:49+00:00","datePublished":"2019-02-01T16:39:33+00:00","description":"Is radiation therapy right for you? In this blog post, RCCA helps you weigh the pros and cons of this treatment. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with our care team.","articleBody":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 1, 2019\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\nAt RCCA, radiation therapy is one of the most common methods of treating cancer. It employs high-energy waves to target and kill cancer cells. While it can be very effective, it\u2019s not right for every patient. Before you and your doctors make the decision to pursue radiation, take some time to understand the potential risks and benefits so that you can make the best decision for your health.\nWhat to Expect\nRadiation is commonly relied on to treat a variety of cancers, both as an individual treatment and in concert with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or surgical treatment. Everyone responds to radiation therapy differently, and there\u2019s no way to predict how it will affect you. However, there are some common side effects, including:\nFatigueSkin problemsHair lossLow blood countsSwellingNausea and vomitingDiarrhea\nMost of these side effects are short-term and go away after treatment. Many also apply only to the area that\u2019s being treated. For example, if your chest is being treated, you will likely only have hair loss and skin changes on your chest, if at all. Some people may experience more severe side effects that cause the doctor to halt radiation or change the treatment schedule. Others may not experience any side effects at all.\nThere may also be additional side effects based on the location and type of cancer you have. If the brain is being treated, for example, patients might also experience headaches and blurred vision.\nOther Important Things to Know about Radiation Therapy\nBecause radiation therapy is a localized treatment, healthy cells are generally unaffected. However, it is possible for some healthy cells to be affected and for there to be long-term side effects. At RCCA, doctors plan treatment very carefully so as to minimize the risk of serious side effects as much as possible.\nDuring treatment, side effects can limit a patient\u2019s ability to do certain activities and cause them to rest more than usual. Some patients, however, feel well enough to continue working. No matter what, you\u2019ll never have to go through treatment alone. Your RCCA care team can help you cope emotionally, spiritually and physically and help alleviate symptoms.\nFor more insight into how radiation therapy might affect you now and in the future, talk to your doctor. It\u2019s important to discuss all potential risks and to weigh them against other treatment options that might be available to you, such as chemotherapy or clinical trials.\nwe are here for you\nFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.\nRELATED ARTICLES\nRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\n\u00a9 2022 Regional Cancer Care Associates. All rights reserved.","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/"},{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org","@type":"LocalBusiness","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"Corporate Office 25 Main Street, Suite 601","postalCode":"07601","addressRegion":"NJ","addressLocality":"Hackensack","addressCountry":"USA","name":"Postal Address","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/#PostalAddress"},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","width":"1024","height":"468","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/themes\/rccah\/dist\/images\/RCCA_logo.jpg"},"contactPoint":[{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Corporate Office Regional Cancer Care Associates 25 Main Street, Suite 601 Hackensack, NJ 07601 info@regionalcancercare.org Phone: (844) 346-7222","name":"Contact Corporate Office","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#CorporateOffice"},{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactOption":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#ContactPointOption","availableLanguage":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/English_language","areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey"],"contactType":"customer support","telephone":"+1 (201) 510-0922","email":"msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","description":"Media Inquiries: Mary Lou Salvemini Regional Cancer Care Associates Phone: (201) 510-0922 Email: msalvemini@regionalcancercare.org","name":"Contact Media Inquiries","image":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/RCCA_logo-300x137.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/contact\/#MediaInquiries"}],"areaServed":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hackensack,_New_Jersey","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/New_Jersey"],"additionalType":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Treatment_of_cancer","alternateName":"RCCA","description":"Leaders in Advanced Compassionate Cancer Care. Fight cancer with leading-edge treatments, experienced skill and local caring\/convenience from one of the nation's largest networks of cancer specialists.","email":"info@regionalcancercare.org","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/","sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/rgnlcancercare","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/regionalcancercareassoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/10059183","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCFlVzU4UvZcyXBCe9ZSvAUQ"],"telephone":"+1 (844) 346-7222","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/"}],{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Weighing the Consequences of Radiation Therapy","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/weighing-the-consequences-of-radiation-therapy\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]