End of Life Concerns Palliative Care Palliative Radiation Therapy as Treatment for Cancer By Angela Morrow, RN linkedin Angela Morrow, RN, BSN, CHPN, is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse. Learn about our editorial process Angela Morrow, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD on July 14, 2020 Doru Paul, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology. Learn about our Medical Review Board Doru Paul, MD on July 14, 2020 Print Palliative radiation therapy is one form of palliative therapy, treatment for the symptoms of a medical problem that doesn't treat the problem itself. It's considered comfort care and is mainly intended to improve a patient's quality of life. People who have cancer may receive palliative radiation therapy, not to cure or even treat cancer but, instead, to relieve the symptoms, especially pain, that it's causing. Typically the radiation is used to shrink a tumor or tumors that are causing the symptoms. Mark Kostich / Vetta / Getty Images How Palliative Radiation Can Help Some common reasons for considering palliative radiation for people with cancer include: Pain Relief: Palliative radiation is especially helpful in treating pain caused by tumors that have invaded bone. It can also relieve pain caused by tumors pressing on nerves. Spinal Cord Compression: A serious and painful condition, spinal cord compression is caused by tumors pressing on the spine and spinal cord. Palliative radiation may bring welcome relief. Superior Vena Cava Obstruction: Tumor obstruction of the superior vena cava (the second-largest vein in the body, carrying blood to the heart from the upper body) causes swelling in the face, shortness of breath, and a feeling of fullness in the head. Shrinking of the tumor using palliative radiation therapy may improve the patient's blood flow. Bleeding: Some tumors can cause troublesome bleeding. Hemoptysis, or coughing up blood, can be caused by tumors in the airway. Bleeding due to tumors in the rectum, vagina, or urinary tract may also be uncomfortable enough to treat with palliative radiation. Obstruction of the Airway or Esophagus (Food Tube): Tumors that are obstructing the airway or esophagus, making breathing or eating difficult, are often treated with palliative radiation. Types There are three ways to deliver radiation therapy, including palliative radiation therapy: External-Beam Radiation Therapy: This type of radiation is delivered to the outside of the body by a special radiation machine. Internal Radiation Therapy: Internal radiation is delivered by radioactive material placed inside the body near the tumor. Systemic Radiation Therapy: Systemic radiation is delivered throughout the body via the bloodstream. An example of this is radioactive iodine that is used to treat certain types of thyroid cancers. Side Effects Radiation therapy effectively kills tumor cells but unfortunately affects healthy cells, too. Destruction of healthy cells may cause side effects. Some common side effects of radiation therapy include: Weakness Fatigue Nausea Diarrhea Radiation cystitis (irritation and pain in the bladder) Skin burns, irritation, and infections Damage and infections in the lining of the mouth Fever Expert palliative care by the cancer team can help with the management of uncomfortable side effects. Most side effects of palliative radiation therapy will resolve within weeks of the last radiation treatment. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Ferrell BR, Coyle N. "Textbook of Palliative Nursing." Oxford University Press (2006). Lawrence TS, Ten Haken RK, Giaccia A. "Principles of radiation oncology." In Ramaswamy Govindan (Ed.), Devita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology Review, 8th ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (2008). “Hospice care.” National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (2015).