Radiation for Head and Neck Cancer: What to Expect From Treatment

Radiation commonly treats head and neck cancer. The cancer often starts in your: 

• Throat
• Mouth
• Voice box
• Nasal cavity
• Other parts of your head and neck 

Radiation therapy damages cancer cell DNA using high-energy rays. Radiation beams often shrink tumors before surgery. And the energy rays can remove any tumors left after surgery, too.

You’ll go to a hospital or medical center for several weeks. You’ll go often, at a regular time for your external beam radiation therapy:

• A high-energy beam is directed from outside your body toward your tumor. 
• The radiation beam shrinks your tumor.

Internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) can help if your head or neck cancer comes back. With internal radiation: 

• A capsule or wire contains radioactive material. 
• Your doctor places the radiation inside your body using a needle or catheter. 

Your doctor can focus your radiation therapy to precise spots in your body. They’ll also consider your cancer type. 

Some common spots for head and neck cancer are your:

• Mouth (inside of it)
• Throat
• Sinuses
• Nasal cavity
• Voice box (larynx)
• Salivary glands
• Thyroid

If you have cancer in your neck lymph nodes, radiation can help. Your doctor can focus the treatments to keep the cancer from spreading.

The radiation beam delivers a strong dose to your tumor. But the treatment isn’t as strong in nearby healthy tissues. With head and neck cancer, you may get external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) like:

• A stronger intensity-modulated beam
• 3D conformal beams to precisely map your tumor
• Proton therapy may protect your healthy tissues, but it isn't always available.
• Hyperfractionation, accelerated, or hypofractionation beams to get an exact dose
• Neutron beam radiation may work, but there's only one facility in the U.S.

With radiation treatment you may get: 

• Skin redness
• Mouth sores
• Dry mouth or throat
• Taste changes
• Mouth or throat pain
• Jaw stiffness
• Thick saliva
• Tooth weakness
• Fatigue
• Nosebleeds 
• Voice changes (hoarseness)

Let your care team know about how you feel. Most symptoms get better after four to eight weeks.

Call your doctor or care team if you have:

• Fever (100.4 F or higher)
• Chills
• Painful, peeling skin
• Serious nausea or vomiting
• Medication not helping with pain or constipation
• Treated area discomfort

Most radiation side effects don’t last, and many improve after a few weeks. Most symptoms go away after eight weeks. But some radiation side effects can last for years:

• Swallowing problems
• Constant dry mouth
• Thick saliva
• Speech issues
• Sinusitis
• Skin changes
• Swelling in the face or neck

About three-quarters of head and neck cancers benefit from radiation. Success depends on where your tumor is at and your cancer stage:

• Almost 90 in 100 paragangliomas near your ear or neck are cured.
• About 97 in 100 nasal cavity cancers are cured. 

Talk with your doctor about what your best treatment means for your head and neck cancer.