What does radiation do to your lungs?

What does radiation do to your lungs?

Radiation therapy works by killing or damaging cancerous cells. During this process, it can also irritate other structures, including noncancerous cells and tissue. In the case of radiation pneumonitis, it causes inflammation of the small air sacs, called alveoli, in your lungs.

Can radiation treatment damage your lungs?

The free radical damage from radiation and chemotherapy is worse in the lungs because of the high concentration of oxygen. Any chemotherapy drug can damage the lungs. Radiation to the chest cavity commonly causes lung toxicity.

What is radiation induced lung injury?

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) encompasses any lung toxicity induced by radiation therapy (RT) and manifests acutely as radiation pneumonitis and chronically as radiation pulmonary fibrosis.

Can radiation cause breathing problems?

Having radiotherapy to the chest can cause shortness of breath during and after radiotherapy. Shortness of breath will usually improve a few weeks after treatment but for some people it can continue long term.

Can radiation cause scarring on the lungs?

Radiation fields involving the lung can lead to scarring (fibrosis), inflammation (pneumonitis), and restrictive or obstructive lung disease.

Is coughing a side effect of radiation treatment?

Coughing and Difficulty Swallowing You may have a cough or difficulty swallowing. You may develop a dry cough. The amount of sputum, or mucus, in your cough may increase as your radiation treatment progresses. Difficulty swallowing is another common side effect of radiation therapy to the chest.

Can radiation to the chest cause COPD?

Severe COPD is correlated with mild radiation pneumonitis following stereotactic body radiotherapy. Chest. 2012 Apr;141(4):858-866.

What are the symptoms of radiation pneumonia?

Symptoms of radiation pneumonitis include:

• fever.
• cough.
• chest congestion.
• shortness of breath.
• chest pain.