How long does radiotherapy take to work for nasal and sinus cancer?

Radiotherapy damages cancer cells in the treated area. Those cells may stop growing or die during treatment and afterwards, so symptoms and swelling do not always change immediately. The planned course can involve repeated visits, with the exact schedule shaped by the tumour’s position, its size, treatment aim, and whether surgery or medicines are also part of care.

Your team may use a nasal examination, endoscopy, imaging, or other tests to judge the response. Early side effects, such as soreness, congestion, skin changes, tiredness, or changes in smell, can occur even while treatment is working and do not by themselves show whether the cancer has responded.

Attend each planning and treatment visit, follow the skin and mouth-care advice from your team, and tell them about worsening pain, difficulty eating or drinking, or troublesome nasal symptoms. Keep a simple record of symptoms and medicines so changes are easier to discuss. Do not stop treatment or start a new product on the treated skin without guidance.

Ask when your first response assessment is planned and which changes should be expected before then. Recovery can continue after the final session, so improvement may be gradual rather than immediate.

Contact your oncology team promptly for heavy or persistent nosebleeding, new vision changes, severe headache, facial swelling, fever, or inability to keep fluids down. Seek urgent help for breathing difficulty, confusion, or bleeding that does not settle with the instructions you were given.

Ask: What is the aim of radiotherapy in my plan? When will you examine or scan the treated area? Which symptoms may temporarily worsen? How should I manage nasal dryness, soreness, or bleeding? Who should I contact outside appointment hours?