Abstract:
The rate of severe late adverse effects has decreased with the highly accurate administration of radiation therapy; however, the total number of patients who suffer from late effects has not decreased because of the increased total number of patients and better survival rates. Late adverse effects, occurring more than a few months after irradiation, include the extension and collapse of capillaries, thickening of the basement membrane, and scarring of tissue due to loss of peripheral vessels. The main causes of these late effects are the loss of stromal cells and vascular injury. This is in contrast to early reactions, which occur mainly due to the reorganization of slow-growing non-stem cell renewal systems such as the lung, kidney, heart, and central nervous system. In addition, the patient’s quality of life is impaired if acute reactions such as mouth or skin dryness are not alleviated. Most adverse effects are radiation dose dependent, and the thresholds differ according to the radiosensitivity of each organ. These reactions occur with a latency period of a few months to more than 10 years. Understanding the clinical and pathological status, through discussion with radiation oncologists, is the essential first step. Some of the late effects have no effective treatment, but others can be treated by steroids or hyperbaric oxygen therapy. An appropriate decision is important.
Karasawa, , , , , , , , (2014). [Problems after radiation therapy]. Gan to kagaku ryoho. Cancer & chemotherapy, 2014 Jan;41(1):27-30. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24423950