Take Care of Yourself During Radiation Therapy

Undergoing radiation therapy for cancer can be a daunting process. Radiation treatment is time-consuming and can drain you physically and emotionally. Most patients need four to five treatment days each week for five to seven weeks. That’s why focusing on your mind-body wellness is important during this time in your journey toward recovery.

Those who effectively manage their side effects; ask their care team, family, and friends for help; and prioritize self-care can support their quality of life throughout cancer treatment. If you’re facing radiation therapy and haven’t made an effort to improve your overall health, it’s not too late. Maintaining a healthy weight, quitting unhealthy habits, moving often, resting enough, and socializing with loved ones can lift your mood and promote the efficacy of your disease treatment plan.

Be honest with your doctor

While living with cancer and going through radiation therapy, you don’t have to just “grin and bear it.” Your medical care team is available to address your concerns, symptoms and treatment side effects.

Take notes about your level of pain throughout the day. Write down how much pain-relieving medication (short-term and long-acting) you’re taking and if you’re experiencing opioid medication side effects like nausea, itching or drowsiness. If you’re concerned about becoming dependent on this pain medication long term, or if you have a history of substance abuse or opioid use disorder, discuss this with your doctor. They can create a pain management protocol to help you avoid relapse or dependance.

Throughout your treatment, keep a detailed list of any new health problems you experience. Don’t hesitate to include new physical experiences, sensations and feelings that you may think are unrelated.

Discuss these concerns with your doctor, so they can recommend adjustments to your medication type, dosage or timing. Your provider may also recommend other treatments or lifestyle modifications to help you feel better.

Tell your doctor about all of your current prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements, and any recreational drug use. Some medications, drugs and natural products can interfere or interact with cancer treatments.

Be open to altering your diet

Cancer treatments can cause changes in your appetite. Radiation therapy can also affect the body’s ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Depending on where your radiation is aimed, you may also experience loose stools, diarrhea, cramping, bloating or nausea. 

To help lessen these side effects and improve your gut motility, consider making some changes to your diet. While salads, whole fruit and raw veggie snacks are part of a healthy diet, you may find it easier to digest cooked foods while undergoing radiation therapy.

Even if you don’t feel hungry, your body still needs nutrient-rich foods to support your immune system and provide valuable energy while you’re fighting cancer. Don’t rely on your appetite to tell you when it’s time to eat. Instead, eat at set mealtimes and ensure you put attractive, colorful foods on your plate to encourage you to eat.

Here are some nutrition tips for radiation therapy patients.

Avoid alcohol and tobacco

While in treatment, you may be tempted to consume alcohol to alter your mood. Even in small amounts, alcohol can promote certain cancers and limit the body’s ability to absorb some nutrients. Drinking more can lower your energy levels, negatively impact your sleep, and hinder your ability to heal. It’s also not safe to consume alcohol when taking opioid pain medication.

Here are some tips to stay socially active without alcohol before and after cancer treatment.

Smoking or chewing tobacco or vaping nicotine can irritate the mouth, throat and stomach, and trigger diarrhea. More importantly, smoking while undergoing radiation therapy can lower the effectiveness and safety of this treatment, negatively impact your quality of life, and reduce your chance of surviving this cancer. Smoking also increases the risk of developing secondary malignancies (other cancers).

Drink plenty of water

Fatigue and weakness are common symptoms of cancers and side effects of cancer treatments. In addition to eating a healthy diet, an easy way to help avoid and minimize these feelings is to drink more water throughout the day.

If you’re properly hydrated, the color of your urine will be a light yellow or straw color. If it’s dark or intense, increase your water intake. If your skin or lips often feel dry, you need to drink more water. 

If you don’t like filtered tap water, try plain or unsweetened, naturally flavored fizzy waters. Avoid sodas, sugar-filled energy drinks and sweet coffee beverages.

Focus on oral and dental health

Radiation, especially aimed at the head and neck, can lead to some oral and dental side effects. You may experience bleeding gums, mouth sores, and/or jaw problems that are usually temporary. Your salivary glands may produce less saliva, which can cause dry mouth or trouble swallowing. 

Before you start radiation, see your dentist and tell them about your upcoming treatment. They may recommend ways to prevent or address side effects that affect the mouth. Just like you can rely on your radiation oncologist throughout your treatment, you can turn to your dentist if you experience difficulties with eating or chewing or problems with your teeth, mouth or jaw. 

Don’t neglect your sleep

Radiation can be physically exhausting, and you may need more sleep during this time. Being in pain may may it harder to fall or stay asleep. In addition, some medications (like steroids) that can be prescribed during radiation can cause sleeplessness. Oncologists may prescribe steroids to enhance the effects of pain control medications and to prevent brain swelling in patients with brain cancer.

If you find that you’re not regularly sleeping seven to nine hours each night during radiation therapy, make a few changes to improve your sleep hygiene and sleep schedule. You can also try techniques proven to help people (even those with insomnia) to fall asleep and stay asleep more successfully.

If poor or insufficient sleep becomes a persistent problem, you can discuss solutions with your doctor as part of your cancer treatment plan.

Exercise to an extent you find manageable

Many symptoms you experience during your cancer journey can be reduced — and sometimes even eliminated — through low-impact movement. This approach to fitness, designed specifically for cancer patients and survivors, is called exercise oncology.

Because radiation and other cancer therapies can leave you feeling fatigued, weakened or stiff, low-impact exercises are a safe way to stay active throughout your treatment and lift your mood. Good options include walking, yoga, Tai chi, casual bike riding, and dancing.

Baby your skin

Radiation therapy can irritate your skin. If your notice increased dryness, itchiness, blistering, redness or burning, speak to your nurse or doctor. They can prescribe an ointment or cream to relieve the problem. Also, discuss your skincare products, especially ones you will apply to radiation-treated areas.

In general, you should treat your skin gently, and protect it from extreme temperatures and sunlight, which is another kind of radiation (ultraviolet). Once you’ve had radiation treatment, you’re at a greater risk for developing skin cancer in that area.

Don’t try to scrub away any lines or markings placed on your skin to help target the radiation.

Avoid:

• very hot water
• scrubbing with a washcloth, sponge, or loofah
• hot water bottles, heating pads, or ice packs on radiation-treated areas
• shaving treated areas of skin
• antiperspirants and talcum powder, which can increase the amount of radiation you receive (discuss deodorants with your care team)
• putting anything sticky, such as bandages or nicotine patches, on treated skin

Use:

• warm water alone or warm water with a gentle cleanser, using only your hands
• daily moisturizer for sensitive skin
• loose, soft, comfortable clothing over treated areas
• a hat and tightly woven clothing to protect your skin from the sun
• sunscreen recommended by your care team for treated areas

Tap into your support network

It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for or receive help. No one gets a medal for surviving cancer on their own. Plus, your loved ones want to help you get through this.

When friends, partners or family members ask how they can help during your treatment, tell them something specific. Maybe they can drive you to your doctor appointments, watch your children when you need a break or a nap, or pick up your groceries from the store. If you happen to know a good cook, let them know you’d love a homecooked meal once a week that you don’t have to prepare yourself.

You can also speak with a social worker at the hospital or treatment center where you undergo radiation to tap into free or reduced-cost practical support services.

If you’re having difficulty keeping up with your work obligations during radiation treatment, discuss this with your supervisor and HR representative. If you don’t use “sick time” to take a leave of absence while undergoing therapy, you may be able to reduce your work hours or workload until you feel better.

Check out these questions and answers about radiation therapy.

Originally written by Milly Dawson. Updates by Dana Kantrowitz, a contributing writer for UHealth’s news service.

Last reviewed in April 2025 by Markus Bredel M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology with the University of Miami Health System Hospitals and Clinics and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Originally published on: October 19, 2021

Tags: cancer support, Dr. Markus Bredel, exercise oncology, radiation therapy, self-care for cancer patients, Sylvester Cancer