What are the risks of conventional irradiation?

When using conventional (photon) irradiation, the patient is exposed to the excessive irradiation of healthy tissues. This poses a risk of late and very late toxicity. This means, in the long term, that the consequences of unwanted radiation delivered to the healthy tissues and organs, such as damage to the heart or lungs or secondary tumors, are often manifested long after the end of treatment.

WHAT increases THE RISK OF COMPLICATIONS IN THE EVENT OF PHOTON irradiation?

• Photons do not allow a reduction of the dose to the heart muscle, valves and coronary arteries, which may cause valvular defects, ischemic heart disease and arrhythmias.
• Higher doses of photon radiation to the lungs in combination with previous chemotherapy and heart irradiation will cause cardiopulmonary problems.
• Photon irradiation of the spinal cord in combination with previous chemotherapy may lead to myelopathy and motor damage.
• Photon irradiation is dangerous to the mammary gland, possibly resulting in a higher risk of secondary tumors.

WHAT COMPLICATIONS ARE associated with conventional irradiation IN THE CASE OF LYMPHOMas?

• Development of valvular defects, ischemic heart disease and arrhythmias.
• Development of post-radiation lung damage.
• Possible occurrence of secondary malignant tumors, such as breast and lung tumors.
• Risk of post-radiation myelopathy (motor damage).
• Nausea, diarrhea and generalized fatigue.

Did you know that…

Especially in the treatment of lymphomas, conventional photon therapy has already reached its limits and there is no possibility of reducing doses to the high-risk organs; in fact, when using advanced IMRT photon radiation therapy, there is an increased risk of developing secondary tumors.

In other words, conventional irradiation provides no room for improvement in results and the elimination of the above-mentioned risks.