Side effects of mouth and oropharyngeal cancer chemoradiotherapy

An increased risk of getting an infection is due to a drop in white blood cells. The chemotherapy affects cells, such as white blood cells, in your bone marrow. Symptoms of an infection include:

• a change in temperature

• aching muscles, headaches

• feeling cold, shivery and generally unwell

You might have other symptoms depending on where the infection is.

You are likely to get a very sore mouth and throat. This often starts after about 2 weeks of treatment. You may only manage soft food and liquid supplements. Some people find that their mouth is so sore that it is too difficult to swallow. If this happens, you are likely to need a feeding tube so that you can get enough liquid and calories.

You also have painkillers. You might need a strong painkiller such as morphine to help make your mouth more comfortable.

When you have a very sore mouth and throat, you must be very careful about infection. Try to keep your mouth clean and follow the advice of your nurse and dentist.

Contact your advice line at the first sign of infection – particularly a change in temperature, chills, or a cough.

During and after treatment, you might have difficulty swallowing.

You may see a speech and language therapist (SLT) before you start treatment if this is likely to affect your swallowing. An SLT can assess your swallowing during and after treatment. They can offer you strategies and advice on improving your swallowing difficulties. They also work with a dietitian if you are finding it difficult to eat.

You can have feeds through a nasogastric tube that goes up your nose and down into your stomach. Or you can have a PEG tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube) that goes through the skin into your stomach. Your nurse or dietician will tell you more about this if you need to have one. They will also show you and your relatives how to give the feeds. 

Find out more about tube feeding

Read more about difficulty swallowing and what you can do

A dry mouth can make eating and talking uncomfortable. Your doctor can prescribe artificial saliva for your mouth if it is a problem for you. People who have a dry mouth often find it helps to sip water regularly and carry a bottle of water with them all the time.

Your skin might go red or darker in the treatment area. You might also get slight redness or darkening on the other side of your head and neck. This is where the radiotherapy beams leave the body. 

The red or darker areas can feel sore. Your specialist nurse or radiographers will give you creams to soothe your skin. The soreness usually goes away within 4 weeks of ending the treatment. But your skin might always be slightly darker in that area.

Tell the radiotherapy staff if you notice any skin changes.

Find out about caring for your skin

You might feel tired during your treatment. It tends to get worse as the treatment goes on. You might also feel weak and lack energy. Rest when you need to.

Tiredness can carry on for weeks to months after the treatment has ended. But it usually improves gradually.

Various things can help you to reduce tiredness and cope with it, such as exercise. Some research has shown that taking gentle exercise can give you more energy. It's important to balance exercise with resting.

Get tips on coping with tiredness

Sickness may be worse a few hours after the chemotherapy. Anti sickness injections and tablets can control it. Tell your doctor or nurse if you feel sick. You might need to try different anti sickness medicines to find one that works.

Tips 

• Avoid eating or preparing food when you feel sick.

• Avoid hot fried foods, fatty foods or foods with a strong smell.

• Eat several small meals and snacks each day.

• Relaxation techniques help control sickness for some people.

• Ginger can help – try it as crystallised stem ginger, ginger tea or ginger ale.

• Try fizzy drinks.

• Sip high calorie drinks if you can’t eat.

Read about treatment for sickness