The fight to beat cancer can be a long road, and the thought of having other injuries due to radiation treatment can be overwhelming. A side effect of some radiation treatments is the narrowing of the arteries, which may decrease blood flow to the treated area, resulting in healing challenges.
Leslie Maynor received radiation treatment to heal a rare form of cancer in her ear. It effectively killed the cancer cells but also left her with a wound that would not heal.
Leslie was referred to a Wound Care Center® to receive advanced wound care for her non–healing wound. Her team of wound care specialists determined that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) would be the best option to help heal Leslie’s wound. Hear more about her journey to healing in this video.
If you or someone you care for received radiation treatment to help fight cancer, there may be injuries that could occur due to the radiation treatment. Radiation kills cancer cells but also may harm healthy tissue. In some cases, these injuries do not cause symptoms for several months or even years following treatment.
You can find more information about radiation injuries and resources to help prevent chronic wounds at our 2021 The Year of Healing page.
