What should you know about beam radiotherapy?

The machine stays outside you, and the treatment is shaped to concentrate radiation on the intended area while reducing exposure to surrounding tissues. The goal may be to eliminate cancer, reduce the chance of return, shrink it before another treatment or relieve symptoms.

Before treatment, imaging helps the team outline the target and nearby organs. Supports, masks or small skin marks may help reproduce your position. Staff leave the room while the beam is on but watch and communicate with you throughout.

The machine may rotate and make noise. You need to remain still, but you can breathe normally unless given a specific instruction. Radiation is not left inside the body after external beam treatment.

Use only skin products approved by the radiotherapy team on the treated area, protect it from rubbing and follow washing guidance. Keep eating and drinking according to your care plan, balance activity with rest and tell staff when symptoms interfere with sleep or daily tasks.

Side effects reflect the body part treated. They may include fatigue, skin soreness, hair loss limited to the beam area, or irritation of nearby bowel, bladder, mouth, throat or lungs. Reporting changes early allows the team to check the cause and offer supportive treatment.

Use your centre's urgent contact route for fever, uncontrolled pain, repeated vomiting, inability to drink, worsening breathing, new confusion, unusual bleeding or rapidly worsening swelling. A severe skin reaction with broken, weeping tissue also needs prompt advice.

Call emergency services for severe breathing difficulty, a seizure, collapse, sudden facial droop or weakness, or swelling that threatens the airway. Bring your treatment information if it is readily available, but do not delay urgent help to find paperwork.

Ask which tissues are in the beam path, how positioning will be checked, what preparation is required, which effects may appear later, and whether the plan affects work, driving, exercise or caring responsibilities. Confirm the contact route for concerns between visits.