Radiation therapy /side effects?

It isn't always as bad as people here have suggested. Your doctors weigh side effects against benefits.

Side effects can be treated and with newer focussed energy the longterm side effects are lessened.

For many of us it is a lot better than what is going to happen if there is no treatment.

Besides the burned skin? Damage to the surrounding organs - but that becomes more of a problem a few years down the road (heart and lung damage in the case of breast cancer treatment). Isn't that what was used on Hiroshima?

It would depend on the part of the body that is getting the radiation. My wife had head and neck radiation. She lost her hair permanently, she lost the normal use of her saliva glands, and it can damage the teeth.

1st, 2nd or 3rd degree burns possible to skin and organs, other organ damage, vessel damage, bone marrow damage, other cancers, the list is almost endless, and as another said, the side effects keep occurring/worsening over one's entire life. See links below.

my husband had radiation to the head and neck plus some on his chest he was burned through to his back he lost his facial hair had blisters on his face and neck burnt up his salva glands now he carries something to drink with him at all times

i had radiation on my breast in 2000. the only issues i have are itching and very dry skin in the radiated area. i know what they told me, but it is hard to believe there is no damage to the organs near the cancer site.