What are the complications after radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and what to do

What are the complications of nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy? What should I do?

Among the many symptoms of nasopharyngeal cancer, runny nose is a common early symptom of nasopharyngeal cancer, which manifests as blood in the runny nose, or blood in the runny nose when sucked out of the mouth, also known as blood in suction. Runny nose usually occurs in the morning after getting up. When the amount of runny nose and blood is small, patients tend to ignore runny nose and sinusitis, or regard it as hemoptysis.

1. Skin reaction. After radiotherapy, patients may experience dry or wet skin reactions. Patients can use soft silk to protect the neck skin, try to prevent dry peeling, and use some lubricants, antipruritic agents and cooling agents on the skin surface that needs to be irradiated to avoid wet peeling.

If the skin is exposed, it should be treated to prevent infection. Chloramphenicol, hydrocortisone or cod liver oil can be applied topically, or 1% Eshu ointment can be applied externally to prevent skin damage.

2. Radiation otitis media. During or after radiotherapy, patients may develop radiation otitis media, which is mainly manifested by ear pain, hearing loss, ear pus, and even eardrum perforation. At this time, antibiotics, chloramphenicol glycerol or hydrogen peroxide ear drops should be used to prevent and treat otitis media.

3. Radiation-induced dental caries. During radiotherapy, the salivary glands are damaged, the amount of saliva is reduced, the oral self-cleaning function is reduced, and the oral flora changes, which increases the incidence of radiation-induced dental caries. Several years after radiotherapy, the patient's teeth turn black and develop dental caries, with only residual roots left or all of the teeth falling off.