Possible Side Effects
With radiosurgery, serious side effects can occur and are usually caused by damage to normal cells during the course of treatment. Side effects can be minor or severe, and depend on the size and location of the tumor, disease state, and your general medical condition.
Because the dose of radiation is higher with radiosurgery, skin irritation and other common side effects may occur sooner than with radiation therapy. However, side effects are typically cumulative, which means they can develop over the course of your treatment. Therefore, if only one to five treatment sessions are necessary, side effects may subside more quickly after the last session than with standard radiation therapy treatment.
Two of the most common side effects associated with radiosurgery are irritation or damage to the skin near the treatment site, and fatigue. Skin irritation may include dryness, itching, peeling, or blistering. Fatigue, for some patients, may mean feeling slightly worn out, and some patients experience severe exhaustion. Other side effects are usually specific to the type of cancer being treated, such as hair loss when the brain is treated, or urinary problems when the lower abdomen is treated. Some patients treated for brain tumors may experience temporary memory loss, or slight decline in brain function.
For more details about the side effects for radiosurgery, ask your radiation oncologist to explain what may occur during your particular treatment.
