Effects of Radiation Treatment on Wound Healing

By: Brandon Mewbourne, MD, General Surgeon

You survived cancer! 

Luckily, there are more people getting to say these words.  Every year, the survival rate goes up thanks to new advances and improvements in effective treatment options. 

One of those effective treatment options is radiation therapy.  For more than half of patients with cancer, this is the lifeline they need to beat the disease.  As with many things in medicine, radiation therapy is necessary and extremely effective, but it is not without its challenges. 

The acute effects of radiation, such as inflamed tissues and damaged blood vessels, are experienced to some degree by almost everyone undergoing the therapy.  These symptoms often go away, but some may linger on long after the treatment is finished. Highpoint Health Wound Care encourages survivors who had radiation to be aware of the following symptoms:

Brain: memory loss, problems concentrating, slow processing of information, personality changes, and/or movement problems.

Head and Neck: dry mouth, cavities, bone loss in the jaw, difficulty swallowing, and/or pain.

Breast: pain, and/or delayed healing following a medical procedure.

Lung and Chest: wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough, congestion, feeling tired, and/or pain.

Lymph Nodes: fluid buildup resulting in swelling in the area treated with radiation.

Abdomen: generalized pain.

Pelvic Area: pain, urgency, blood in urine or stool, and/or discharge.

Skin: slow healing after an injury or surgical procedure.

As you read through these, you might have recognized that many of these symptoms are fairly general and could easily be confused with other conditions.  This makes it difficult for you and even for your physician to connect the dots between your symptoms and the radiation you received as a cause; especially if it has been years since your treatment ended. 

“Radiation therapy is a powerful tool in the fight against cancer, but its effects can extend beyond treatment, impacting survivors’ quality of life in ways they may not expect,” said Brandon Mewbourne, MD. “At Highpoint Health Wound Care, we are dedicated to helping survivors address these challenges with advanced treatments designed to promote healing and improve overall well-being. By raising awareness and encouraging early intervention, we aim to empower patients to thrive long after their cancer journey.”

What should you do?  If you’re experiencing a symptom of any kind in the area that received radiation, notify your physician, and remind them you had radiation treatment.  Don’t ignore the symptoms and don’t accept them as your new normal.  Highpoint Health Wound Care offers treatments, including Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy that can help relieve your symptoms.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has long been successfully used in the treatment of the late effects of radiation.  In some cases, it’s the only treatment available. 

Contact Highpoint Health Wound Care by calling 615.328.3808 or visiting the Wound Care page to learn more about risks, symptoms, and advanced therapeutic options. We strive to help those on the journey beyond cancer continue to thrive.