Post-Radiation Therapy Effects Duration

A 55-year-old female patient with a diagnosis of breast cancer is about to begin radiation therapy. The nurse is educating the patient about the potential effects of radiation and the expected side effects during treatment. The patient asks how long the radiation will continue to affect her body after treatment is administered. The nurse explains that radiation continues to affect the body for a period of time depending on the type of radiation used. In clinical terms, the ___________ of the radiation therapy usually lasts for approximately ___________ weeks after the course of treatment, as the body continues to repair the affected tissues and cells.