What to expect from radiotherapy for cervical cancer

Radiotherapy targets the cervix and nearby tissues, and may include lymph nodes in the pelvis. External treatment uses a machine directed at the planned area. Internal treatment, called brachytherapy, places a radiation source close to the cervix for a planned session. Your team will explain which combination suits your cancer and whether chemotherapy is given alongside it.

Planning may include scans, positioning, and instructions about bladder or bowel preparation. During external treatment you lie still and the machine moves around you. Pelvic treatment can cause tiredness, looser stools, diarrhoea, urinary frequency or burning, discharge, and soreness. Internal treatment can cause cramping or vaginal discomfort. Effects can change as treatment continues, so report them early.

Tell the team about pregnancy, bleeding, bowel problems, urinary symptoms, medicines, and any concerns about internal treatment. Follow the clinic's instructions before each visit, including bladder or bowel guidance. Wash gently, keep the skin dry, and use only products recommended for the treated area. Plan easy meals and keep fluids available if your bowel or bladder becomes sensitive.

Rest between activities, use gentle movement if comfortable, and ask about medicines for diarrhoea, nausea, pain, or urinary discomfort rather than treating symptoms on your own. Avoid vaginal products or intercourse when your team advises against them. Ask about vaginal care after treatment, because healing and maintaining comfort may require a specific plan.

Call your care team promptly for heavy or persistent vaginal bleeding, worsening pelvic pain, inability to pass urine, severe diarrhoea, repeated vomiting, or signs of dehydration such as dizziness and very dark urine. Fever, chills, foul-smelling discharge, or rapidly worsening symptoms need prompt assessment. Seek emergency help for severe bleeding, collapse, or severe breathing difficulty.

Ask whether your plan includes external radiotherapy, brachytherapy, or both, and what each appointment involves. Ask how to prepare your bladder and bowel, which symptoms need same-day advice, how treatment may affect sex and fertility, and who to contact outside clinic hours.