What to expect from whole brain radiotherapy for small cell lung cancer

You attend the radiation department for positioning and treatment while lying still. A custom mask may support your head, and the machine delivers radiation without touching you. The team may coordinate radiotherapy with medicines or other cancer treatments. Fatigue, scalp sensitivity, hair loss, headache, nausea and changes in concentration can occur, so your symptoms and medicines should be reviewed at each visit.

Tell the team about headaches, weakness, seizures, dizziness, vision changes and any breathing or chest symptoms. Take steroids, anti-sickness medicines or other prescriptions exactly as directed; do not change them without advice. Arrange help with transport and household tasks if fatigue or balance problems make them difficult. Use gentle scalp care and ask before using creams on treated skin.

Get emergency help for a seizure, sudden weakness, new speech difficulty, severe headache, repeated vomiting, confusion or collapse. Call the oncology team promptly for worsening balance, new vision problems, fever, severe drowsiness or a painful scalp reaction. Breathing difficulty or chest pain also needs urgent assessment.

Ask what the radiotherapy is intended to achieve, how it fits with chemotherapy or other treatment, how medicines will be adjusted, how cognition will be checked, and who to contact outside appointment hours.