Cancer Treatment Radiation Is Exposure to People Having Radiation Cancer Treatments Dangerous? By Vincent Iannelli, MD Vincent Iannelli, MD Facebook Vincent Iannelli, MD, is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Iannelli has cared for children for more than 20 years. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 07, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Doru Paul, MD Medically reviewed by Doru Paul, MD Doru Paul, MD, is triple board-certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. He is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and attending physician in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Can a child who lives in a house with a patient that is receiving external radiation for cancer be affected in any way? No, a child cannot be harmed by being around or living with someone that is receiving external radiation or any other treatment for cancer. The National Cancer Institute states that "external radiation treatment does not make you radioactive." Christopher Futcher / Getty Images Radiation Cancer Treatments Patients receiving temporary internal radiation can sometimes send its high energy rays outside their body, and so that kind of cancer treatment is usually done in the hospital in a private room, at least for a few days while the radiation is most active. And children under age 18 and pregnant women are usually not allowed to visit them in the hospital. Internal radiation therapy might be used for people with prostate cancer and some types of breast cancer, etc. Systemic radiation is another type of radiation therapy for cancer. Unlike the radioactive pellets that are surgically implanted with internal radiation therapy, with systemic radiation, they get an injection or swallow a radioactive substance, like radioactive iodine for thyroid cancer, to treat their cancer. While being treated, their bodily fluids can be radioactive. Exposure to Radiation Cancer Treatments In general, the potential risks of radiation exposure include: No risk from external radiation treatments.Some risk from temporary internal radiation treatments, which is why these treatments are often done in a hospital in a shielded room.Some risk from permanent internal radiation treatments, at least for the first few days or weeks of treatment, which is why contact with pregnant women and young children might be restricted.Some risk from systemic radiation treatments, which is why contact with pregnant women and young children might be restricted. And remember that there are no risks to contacts from any chemotherapy you are receiving. Risks Your family member's oncologist should give you specific details about any restrictions because of their radiation treatment. In fact, your child likely poses much more of a risk to the person being treated for cancer. Persons being treated for cancer often have weakened immune systems and so are very susceptible to any infections. So if your child has a cold or the flu, he could be contagious and put the cancer patient at risk of getting sick. According to the American Cancer Society, that makes basic hand washing and hygiene practices for the patient and those they come in contact with very important. It also makes it important that your child stay up-to-date on all of his vaccines. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Limiting processed foods and red meats can help ward off cancer risk. These recipes focus on antioxidant-rich foods to better protect you and your loved ones. Sign up and get your guide! 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 3 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. National Cancer Institute. Radiation therapy and you: support for people with cancer. American Cancer Society. Getting internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy). National Cancer Institute. Radiation therapy to treat cancer.