Radiation therapy is also known as “electrotherapy” – one of the common therapies for tumor, which kills tumor cells using high-energy radiation rays and prevents the growth and division of tumor cells. Radiation therapy can be applied to treat tumor, reduce local recurrence, or alleviate the many discomforts caused by tumor.

Radiation therapy in traditional Chinese medicine is considered “Devil of Fire and Heat” and will deplete the body fluid. Over the long run, radiation therapy will affect the composition of blood and circulation and thereby result in dry mouth, inflammation, damage and pain in mucosa, local muscle fibrosis… and various symptoms.

Side Effects of Radiation Therapy and Corresponding Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

The side effects caused by radiation therapy vary according to the body parts and dose of radiation exposure, as shown in the following table:

For symptoms occurring after the patients have received radiation therapy, Chinese medicine mostly treats medicine featuring “Yin and fluid nourishment.” Patients are also suggested to take prevention or alleviation of discomfort from the follows:

• Avoid smoking, drinking and chewing betel nut.
• Food:
• Food consists of light meals but with rich content of nutrients. Choose white fungus, steamed fish broth, milk, mung bean, Chinese cabbage, Chinese spinach, cucumber, loofah, bitter gourd, lotus seeds, lily, pear, orange, tangerine and other cold or food with heat removal function.
• Reduce the consumption of spicy, deep-fried, roasted, over-heated, or cold food with stimulation. Avoid the consumption of heat-based food such as lamb, chili, roasted or fried food, durian, mango, longan, and lychee.
• Cook favorite food and cook until soft for easy swallowing.
• Patients with poor spleen and stomach function should note to consume less sticky and cold food such as iced water and glutinous rice. If the patients feel gastrointestinal discomfort and poor appetite, the patients are suggested to nourish the spleen with Chinese herbal medicine based food such as Si Sheng Soup.
• Oral Case:
• Patients with head and neck cancer shall pay attention to oral hygiene by frequently gargling in order to remove food residue and bacteria. Avoid garbling using mouth wash containing ethanol.
• Patients are suggested to gargle using lukewarm water or the mouth wash prescribed by western medicine doctor. Patients can also use the sore throat powder in Chinese medicine and homemade Chinese medicine mouth wash for heat and toxin removal. The prescription varies according to the different physique condition of everyone. The general preparation includes: 3 maces of Japanese Honeysuckle, 3 maces of licorice, 3 maces of Indigowoad Root, and 3 maces of pepper mint. Wash the medicine and add 1000 ~ 1500 c.c of water to bring to a boil for 10 ~ 15 minutes. Finally add the pepper mint to cook for another 1 minute. Set aside to cool and serve.
• Patients can drink the “Yin and fluid nourishing” drink daily as care. The preparation includes: 3 maces of Japanese Honeysuckle, 2 maces of licorice, 3 maces of lotus root, 3 maces of Adhesive Rehmannia Root Tuber, 3 maces of Creeping Liriope, 3 maces of Scrophularia ningpoensis, and 3 maces of hairyvein agrimonia.  Wash the medicine and add 1500 c.c of water to bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn to low heat and cook for another 15 minutes. Set aside to cool and serve.
• Dessert wit “Ying and fluid nourishing.” The preparation includes: half teal of white fungus, 1 teal of lily, 1 teal of lotus seeds, and 5 pieces of dates. Wash white fungus, lily and lotus seeds well and then soak them in clean water, set aside. Store in the refrigerator overnight. Add 4 glasses of water to white fungus, lily, lotus seeds, and dates. Cook in rice cooker, add ¼ cup of water to the external cooker and cook until the switch turns off. Serve.