Overview

Finishing radiotherapy treatment can be a difficult time. On this page, we have information to help you manage mental and physical side effects when treatment ends.

Side effects after treatment

Any side effects that you’ve had so far, or might get, will continue for some weeks after treatment finishes. Sometimes, the side effects become worse before they start to improve.

This is completely normal, and your side effects will eventually improve. Until they do, keep following the advice from your doctor, and talk to them if you have any concerns.

Looking after your skin

Everyone reacts differently to radiotherapy. If you haven’t already had a skin reaction, you might get one a few days after treatment finishes.  

Your skin might be dry, red or itchy. You should continue with the skin care advised during your treatment until your skin returns to normal. Do not use any other products in the treatment area until then. Once your skin has fully healed, you can use your normal skin care products again.

After treatment, if you have a skin reaction, you will need to keep that area covered until the reaction has improved.

The skin in the treatment area will be more sensitive to the sun, so you must always protect it with clothing or a high factor sun cream.

Eating healthily

If the side effects of treatment have changed your appetite or bowel habits, continue to follow the advice you were given during treatment. Return to your usual diet slowly until your body can manage what is normal for you.

You should try to eat a healthy, balanced diet. The NHS has more information on eating healthy.  

Managing fatigue (tiredness)

Radiotherapy can make you feel tired. Try to rest when you can. Your body will tell you when you need to slow down.

It can be helpful to do some light exercise. For example, you could go for a 20-minute walk each day.

Exercise can help to:

• make you feel less tired
• improve your energy levels
• improve your mood

You might be tired if you’re not sleeping well at night. In some cases, relaxation techniques can help with this. Your GP might also prescribe medicine to help you sleep, which can help to break the habit of waking up at night.

Your feelings about finishing treatment

After daily contact with staff and other patients, some people feel low or depressed when they finish treatment. This is a normal reaction, and you’re not alone if you feel this way.

Sometimes these feelings can be made worse by tiredness, but they will pass in time.

You might find it helpful to join a support group where you can share your experiences with others. Macmillan have cancer self-help and support groups that you can join.

Dimbleby Cancer Care can offer 1-to-1 psychological support. This allows you to speak to a counsellor about coping after cancer treatment finishes. Find out more about therapy through Dimbleby Cancer Care.

Follow-up appointments

Your follow-up appointment will usually be at the hospital where you were originally seen. This appointment will be with your oncology doctor or a member of their team.

Your radiotherapy treatment follow-up information tells you how to make this appointment. If you do not have this information, or have not made an appointment, call the treatment support team on phone: 020 7188 4220.

More information

Your radiotherapy booklet will contain more information about your specific treatment.

Macmillan also have helpful information about how to cope after treatment finishes.