Radiotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Radiotherapy treatment is directed at specific parts of the body and may be used when the lymphoma cells are contained in one or two areas of lymph nodes in the same part of the body (stage 1 or 2).| It is often given along with chemotherapy.|

The treatment is given in the hospital radiotherapy department, usually as daily sessions from Monday-Friday, with a rest at the weekend. The length of your treatment will depend on the type and stage of the lymphoma, but is normally about four weeks.

Our section on radiotherapy| has more details about this treatment and its side effects.

Planning radiotherapy Back to top

To make sure radiotherapy is as effective as possible it has to be carefully planned by a clinical oncologist, a doctor who specialises in radiotherapy treatment for cancer. Your treatment will be planned on your first visit to the radiotherapy department when you will have marks drawn on your skin to show where the treatment is needed.

Usually, you will have a CT scan of the area to be treated. A CT scan takes images from different angles to build up a three-dimensional picture of the area. The radiographers (who give you your treatment) will take measurements from you. These measurements and the information from the scans are then fed into a planning computer that is used to help the doctors plan your treatment more precisely. 

You may not need a CT scan if only a small group of enlarged lymph nodes are to be treated. 

The radiographer, who gives you your treatment, will draw marks on your skin and may also ask you if small permanent marks (tattoos) can be made. These are only done with your permission and are used to show where the rays are to be directed. If you don’t want to have permanent marks you should let the radiographer know so that they can discuss other options for marking the skin with you. 

At the beginning of your treatment you will be given instructions on how to look after your skin in the area being treated.

Treatment sessions Back to top

Before each session of radiotherapy the radiographer will position you carefully on the couch and make sure that you are comfortable. During your treatment, which only takes a few minutes, you will be left alone in the room but you will be able to talk to the radiographer who will watch you from the next room. Radiotherapy is not painful but you have to lie still for a few minutes while your treatment is being given.

Side effects Back to top

Radiotherapy will nearly always cause tiredness. Other side effects you have will depend on the part of your body being treated. Any treatment to the abdomen can cause stomach upsets such as feeling sick (nausea), vomiting or diarrhoea. Treatment to the head can cause hair loss. Radiotherapy to the neck can make your mouth or throat sore. You may also notice that some foods taste different from normal. These side effects can be mild or more troublesome, depending on the length of your treatment.

Your clinical oncologist will be able to advise you what to expect. They can prescribe medicines to help with side effects such as sickness or diarrhoea. Our section on diet and cancer| has helpful tips on coping with eating problems caused by treatment.

Radiotherapy can have long-term (permanent) side effects. These are rare and will vary depending on the part of the body treated. You can ask your specialist to tell you about any possible long-term effects.

Tiredness

As radiotherapy can make you tired, you should try to get as much rest as you can, especially if you have to travel a long way for treatment each day. Fatigue| is a term often used to describe the tiredness that can occur during and after treatment. It generally begins in the latter half of treatment and can continue for several months after treatment has finished. Balancing rest and activity throughout the day is important as your body needs rest to recover from the treatment.

Feeling sick (nausea)

Nausea| can usually be effectively treated by anti-sickness drugs (anti-emetics), which your doctor can prescribe. If you don’t feel like eating, you can replace meals with nutritious high-calorie drinks which are available from most chemists.

Hair loss

Although radiotherapy can cause hair loss|, this only occurs in the area being treated. For example, if you have radiotherapy to the lymph nodes in your neck, you may lose the hair on the back of the neck. Radiotherapy to the nodes in the chest may make the hair on your chest fall out.

When you have finished the course of treatment, your hair will usually grow back. It normally takes between six and twelve months, depending on the dose of radiotherapy and the length of treatment.

All these side effects will disappear gradually once your course of treatment is over. Let your doctor know if they continue.

Radiotherapy does not make you radioactive and it is perfectly safe for you to be with other people, including children, throughout your treatment.