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Table 1 Radiotherapy toxicity

From: Genetics and genomics of radiotherapy toxicity: towards prediction

Site/tissue

Acute

Late

Skin

Erythema, dry skin, desquamation, transient hair loss, dermatitis, pain

Subcutaneous fibrosis (induration/hardening), dry skin (loss of sweat glands), atrophy (thinning), dyskeratosis, telangiectasia (blood vessel damage), permanent hair loss, pigmentation, ulceration (necrosis)

Central nervous system

Tiredness, nausea, edema, transient radiation myelitis with numbness, paresthesia and 'electric-shock'-like sensation often precipitated by neck flexion (Lhermitte's syndrome)

Fibrosis, demyelination, vascular damage, necrosis, cognitive decline, hearing loss, hypopituitarism, myelopathy, paralysis

Head and neck

Erythema, edema, oral mucositis, pain

Fibrosis, telangiectasia, dry mouth (xerostomia), dental caries, osteo-radionecrosis, cartilage necrosis

Eye

Local irritation, watery eyes (increased lacrimation)

Cataract formation, dry eyes (xerophthalmia), weeping eye (epiphora) due to impaired lacrimal drainage, impairment of corneal sensation leading to damage, corneal ulceration and corneal keratinization, retinal hemorrhage, exudate and degeneration, optic atrophy

Esophagus/stomach

Mucositis, dysphagia, gastritis, pain, vomiting

Fibrosis, stenosis, strictures, obstruction, ulceration

Lung

Pneumonitis (dyspnea, non-productive cough and chest tightness)

Fibrosis (scarring), dyspnea

Breast

Edema

Lymphoedema, fibrosis (hardening), atrophy (shrinking)

Intestine

Mucositis, malabsorption, vomiting, diarrhea, pain, tenesmus, passage of mucus, bleeding

Malabsorption, adhesions, stenosis, obstruction, proctitis, fistulae, incontinence, telangiectasia (leading to rectal bleeding), ulceration

Kidney, ureter, bladder

Radiation nephritis, cystitis, increased micturition, dysuria, hyperemia, mucosal edema

Chronic radiation nephritis (proteinuria, nocturia), progressive nephropathy with hypertension, and proteinuria, fibrosis, ulceration, obstruction, incontinence

Reproductive tract

Vaginal mucositis, cessation of menstruation

Sterility, induction of menopause, vaginal stenosis, vaginal obstruction, vaginal dryness, erectile dysfunction

Bone and cartilage

 

Growth retardation of growing bone, osteoradionecrosis, cartilage necrosis

Hemopoietic

Decreased total white cells (leukopenia), decreased platelets (thrombocytopenia)

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